'Law & Order: SVU' star Mariska Hargitay discovers she was left behind at scene of mother's tragic accident

"Law & Order: SVU" prima Mariska Hargitay uncovered a shocking item astir the car clang that killed her mother, Jayne Mansfield. 

During the filming of the 61-year-old actress's caller documentary "My Mom Jayne," Hargitay had a speech with her member Zoltan Hargitay successful which she learned that she had been accidentally near down astatine the country of the 1967 mishap that claimed the beingness of her parent arsenic good Mansfield's fellow Sam Brody and operator Ronald B. Harrison. 

At the clip of the crash, Mansfield, Brody and Harrison were successful the beforehand spot of the conveyance portion Harigitay, Zoltan and their older member Mickey Hargitay Jr. were dormant successful the backseat. In the film, Zoltan recalled however Mansfield had moved up to the beforehand spot during an statement with Brody, according to People magazine.

"I often deliberation astir wherefore she didn't conscionable enactment successful the backseat with us?" Zoltan said successful the documentary.

Mariska Hargitay discovered that she was accidentally near down successful the car clang that killed her mother, Jayne Mansfield.  (Pascal Le Segretain/amfAR/Getty Images for amfAR)

"But I retrieve her comforting me, telling maine I was going to beryllium fine. 20 minutes later, fractional an hour, I heard her shriek truthful loud, and that was it," helium continued arsenic helium became emotional. 

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Ahead of the accident, the radical was driving from Biloxi, Mississippi to New Orleans, Louisiana, wherever Mansfield was acceptable to marque a tv appearance. While connected the highway, their car slammed into the backmost of an 18-wheeler that had slowed down hardly southbound of the Mississippi border, according to the New York Times. The conveyance was shrouded successful a dense fog from a adjacent anti-mosquito spray truck.

All of the adults successful the beforehand spot were killed instantly, but the children successful the backseat survived with injuries.

Mansfield and 2 others died successful the 1967 accident.  (Getty Images)

Mickey, who was 8 astatine the time, recalled waking up successful the backmost spot of a car pursuing the clang and reasoning that helium saw Mansfield sitting successful the beforehand seat. 

"It felt similar my tegument didn't move, due to the fact that it was bloody each over," helium remembered successful the film, via People. 

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However, aft the pistillate successful the beforehand spot turned around, Mickey realized that she was not Mansfield, and helium was "in a car with a blonde-haired pistillate who had helped rescue the children."

When Zoltan, past 6-years-old, woke up successful the car, helium noticed that Hargitay, who was 3-years-old astatine the time, was not with them. He asked the adults wherever his small sister was, starring them to recognize that a 3rd kid had been successful the car astatine the clip of the crash. The adults past circled backmost to the country of the accident, wherever Hargitay had been pulled to safety. 

In the film, the children's stepmother Ellen Hargitay explained that the adults initially missed Hargitay due to the fact that she had been lodged nether the rider spot with a caput injury. 

"Thank God Zolie woke up," Ellen said.

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Mariska and her brothers survived the crash.  (Getty Images)

"My Mom Jayne" premiered during the Tribeca Festival connected June 13 astatine New York City's Carnegie Hall. The movie archetypal debuted connected May 17 astatine the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. During a May interrogation with Vanity Fair, Hargitay explained that the documentary, which marks the actress's directorial debut, helped her code the nonaccomplishment of her mother.

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"I don’t retrieve the accident," she told the outlet. "I don’t adjacent retrieve being told that my ma had died. I looked astatine photos, and I don’t truly retrieve thing until I was 5."

While speaking with Vanity Fair, Hargitay revealed that her biologic begetter is erstwhile Las Vegas entertainer Nelson Sardelli. She and her brothers were raised by precocious histrion and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay. 

In 1963, Mansfield filed for divorcement from Mickey, who died successful 2006 astatine property 80. She past embarked connected a high-profile romance with Sardelli. The histrion went connected to reconcile with Mickey respective months earlier Hargitay’s commencement successful 1964.

Hargitay told the outlet that she had agelong suspected that Mickey, whom she idolized, was not her biologic father. While Hargitay was successful her 20s, her suspicions were confirmed erstwhile she saw a photograph of Sardelli.

Mickey Hargitay Jr., Giovanna, Pietra, Nelson Sardelli, Mariska Hargitay, Ellen Hargitay, Zoltan Hargitay, Peter Hermann and Jayne Marie Mansfield be the "My Mom Jayne: A Film By Mariska Hargitay" premiere during the 2025 Tribeca Festival astatine Carnegie Hall connected June 13, 2025, successful New York City (John Nacion/WireImage)

At property 30, Hargitay archetypal met her biologic begetter erstwhile she went to see Sardelli execute successful Atlantic City.  Hargitay yet forged a enslaved with Sardelli, 90, and his daughters, Giovanna and Pietra Sardelli.

According to People magazine, Sardelli, Giovanna, Pietra and Jayne Marie attended the New York City premiere of "My Mom Jayne" alongside Hargitay. 

Mansfield, calved Vera Jayne Palmer, was an aspiring histrion who spoke respective languages and played violin and piano. A casting manager suggested she bleach her hair, deterioration tighter dresses and adopt a Marilyn Monroe-inspired voice. The "dumb blonde" persona stuck, and Mansfield skyrocketed to fame successful Hollywood. But similar Monroe, Mansfield struggled to beryllium taken earnestly arsenic an actress.

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"When I would perceive that fake voice, it utilized to conscionable flip maine out," Hargitay recalled to Vanity Fair. "'Why is she talking similar that? That’s not real.' [But] my dada would ever say, ‘She wasn’t similar that astatine all. She was similar you. She was comic and irreverent and fearless and real.'"

"My Mom Jayne" volition premiere June 27 connected HBO and HBO Max.

Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.