If if create a child class for a character and then change the mesh in the child class, the updated mesh should show up when using this child class right? if not, how would you do so?

[Everynone]

The player controller is trying to move the pawn that was destroyed.

Destroyed actors are not really removed from memory immediately but rather flagged for destruction. At some point the Garbage Collection system scoops them up but these actors are inaccessible during that time.

How similar is your setup to the one I posted?