3 die in Upstate collision, including kindergarten aide and her 6-year-old daughter

Her Facebook page is full of youth baseball and selling clothes her children have outgrown, wondering how to get kids to activities and still make dinner — all the stuff of a young woman with a husband and three young children.

Now Megan Jackson Barnett is dead, as is her 6-year-old daughter, Briley, who a friend on Facebook described as Barnett’s twin.

Barnett responded, “Acts just like me too.”

“I hope she has your huge heart and love of life,” the friend said.

The Barnetts, along with the driver of another car, Jackolane Mattison, died in a collision around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday on Highway 29 in Wellford. Officials have not released the specifics about what happened, but Wellford Police Chief David Green told WYFF-TV the area is known for speeding.

It is a state highway that runs through the city of Wellford bordered by retail and other businesses, about 10 miles west of Spartanburg.

Megan Barnett, 30, was a kindergarten aide at the school her first-grade daughter attended, Wellford Academy of Science and Technology. Her husband, Christopher, is a collision tech at BMW Performance Center, according to his Linked In page.

They have two other children, both boys, Landry, who is in fourth grade at Wellford Academy, and Finn, 18 months old.

Jackolane Mattison, 43, was from Lyman, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said. All three involved in the collision died at the scene, he said.

Melissa Robinette, with District Five Schools of Spartanburg County, released a statement saying the district was “heartbroken over the loss of these two precious members of our Wellford Academy and District Five family.”

A release Wednesday afternoon from the school district said Barnett worked for District Five since 2015.

“She was a bright light for her students and fellow faculty members,” the release said.

Robinette said in a phone interview Barnett and her family are tied in deeply with the community. Her mother was a long-time cafeteria worker in District Five and now works as a substitute.

Barnett was a graduate of Byrnes High School, the only secondary school in District Five. Robinette said teachers and people she went to school with across the district knew Barnett for years.

“This touches every school and the district,” she said.

“Her vivacious smile and laugh reflected her huge heart, and the love she had for her family, school and community,” the news release said.

On Mother’s Day last year, Chris Barnett added a photo on Facebook of his wife at Disney World and wrote: “I have to admit ... I spent 2 hours looking through my phone for pictures that would be good enough to put on this post. Out of 2,000 photos I had about 1,900 to choose from, which kind of shocked me. Almost every single picture I have is with you.

“Our kids, friends, family, vacations, ball games, weddings, hospitals, holidays, or just being funny. 11 years, 3 kids, and a lifetime to go of memories I wouldn’t want to make with anyone else.

“So, here you are at the happiest place on earth, grinning from ear to ear. You’re the best mother our kids could have and I appreciate you so much. Thanks for letting me tag along. I love you and Happy Mother’s Day.”

This story was originally published April 20, 2022 at 1:03 PM.