Jayne Marie Mansfield — How Did Mariska Hargitay's Mom Die?

Jayne Marie Mansfield, Mariska Hargitay's mom, suffered a shocking death, which has been part of some dark speculations. Learn more about the early morning when she passed away and the trauma her daughter had to face after losing her mother at such a young age.

"Law And Order: SUV" actress Mariska Hargitay honored her late mother, Jayne Marie Mansfield, on the 55th anniversary of her passing. She shared a stunning black-and-white photo of the Hollywood bombshell on Instagram with the caption, "We live to love you more each day."

Mansfield died in 1967 in a car crash when Hargitay was only three years old. The child was in the backseat but did not sustain serious injuries. The tragic demise left Hargitay's dad, Mickey Hargitay, to raise the actress and her siblings with his third wife, Ellen.

The comment section was full of compassion and condolences from followers, and many stated that the Hollywood star would be proud of her daughter if she were alive today. One person wrote:

"Such a beautiful queen and a radiant woman to have created such an amazing and very inspiring daughter. Both Mrs. Mansfield and Ms. Hargitay are icons."

There were heart emojis scattered throughout the comment section, and many fans declared how gorgeous her mom was and how Hargitay is just as beautiful. One Instagram user wrote, " Admirable woman. The days and years will pass, and the admiration for her is greater and greater."

HOW DID JAYNE MARIE MANSFIELD DIE?

It was an early morning in June 1967 when the Hollywood bombshell was on her way to a television appearance in New Orleans. Her driver was transporting her in a 1966 Buick Electra.

The driver, at one point, found it difficult to see the road because of a machine spraying mosquito repellent that was like a thick, white fog. As a result, he was unable to detect the presence of a slow-moving tractor-trailer in front of him.

The Buick crashed into the other vehicle, and Mansfield died immediately, along with the driver, Ronnie Harrison, and her boyfriend, Sam Brody. The police report revealed the cause of death was head trauma.

Three-year-old Hargitay was not the only one in the back of the car when this accident occurred. Two of her siblings, who were sleeping in the backseat, also suffered minor injuries.

MARISKA HARGITAY ON HER MOM'S DEATH

Speaking about the trauma, Hargitay said she felt "frozen," admitting that this feeling had been present throughout her life, and it seemed she was always in survival mode. She disclosed that she had spent her entire life slowly learning to shed those layers of survival and fear and embrace trust.

Opening up about the accident in general, the actress stated that she quickly learned about how unexpected life can be because she faced crises so young. She said this hard-learned lesson led to her developing a powerful ability to transform unforeseen challenges into something good.

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Hargitay also opened up about how she coped with the loss of her mom, stating that she had to allow herself to experience the loss entirely. The actress said avoiding pain in one's life will eventually lead to negative consequences.

She explained that she is not invalidating how difficult it can be to sit with one's pain and suffering. However, Hargitay expressed that everything can improve once one has gone through the process.

Speaking about what she would say to her younger self if she could talk to her, Hargitay stated that she would let her know that eventually, it would all be okay.

She also spoke about people's perception of her mother as nothing but a stunning woman. Hargitay explained that Mansfield had much more to offer, claiming she had a whopping I.Q. Of 160, she played the violin and was a doting mom to her children.

JAYNE MARIE MANSFIELD IS SURVIVED BY HER CHILDREN

Jayne Marie Mansfield is survived by her children: Hargitay, and her five siblings. Miklós Jeffrey, who went by Mickey Jr., and Zoltan Anthony are the actress's full siblings. Her half-siblings Include Antonio Raphael Ottaviano Cimber, Tina Hargitay, and Jayne Marie Mansfield, who was named after their mom.

Antonio — or Tony — is her mom's child with her third husband, Matt Cimber, and is a director and actor. Tina is the daughter of Hargitay's dad with his first wife, Mary Birge. Jayne is the "Law & Order: SVU" star's half-sister from their mom's marriage to Paul Mansfield. Apart from sharing the same name, Jayne is an actress like her mother.

Mickey Jr. tried acting for a while but eventually quit and now runs a plant shop, while Zoltan is also an actor. He has appeared in "Retroactive," "T-Force," and "Shrunken Heads."

Hargitay is the most well-known of all her siblings with her recurring role in "Law & Order: SVU." She has Golden Globe, and Emmy wins for her acting. She was one of the honorees of Glamour Women of the Year in 2021 and was once one of the top-paid actresses on television.

Outside of her professional life, Hargitay is a loving mother to three children — Amaya, August, and Andrew — and is married to fellow actor Peter Hermann.

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