NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) — A woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a deadly hit-and-run that claimed the life of a child riding a scooter on Aug. 13 in Slidell, Louisiana.
The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrest of Connie Noel Estes, 40, who was identified as the driver of the vehicle responsible for the tragic crash. Estes is also known by the names Connie Noel Flettrich and Noel Gorgone.
Authorities say the child was struck while riding a scooter in his driveway on Northshore Lane shortly before 6 p.m. The driver fled the scene. Despite efforts by his mother to rush him to a nearby hospital, the child later died from his injuries.
An initial suspect—a Slidell man—was arrested soon after the incident based on early evidence. However, a subsequent investigation cleared him, and detectives later identified a silver Nissan Armada as the vehicle involved.
Estes was arrested Friday evening, August 29, and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on the following charges:
Felony Hit-and-Run with Death or Serious Bodily Injury
Felony Obstruction of Justice
Sheriff Randy Smith directly addressed speculation that Estes had ties to law enforcement, calling the rumors “absolutely false.” He emphasized that no personal connections would ever interfere with an active investigation.
“I am deeply disgusted that someone would strike a child and leave them to die,” Sheriff Smith said. “What’s even more appalling is that this individual allowed someone else to take the blame for their actions.”
The 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, at the sheriff’s request, dropped all charges against the wrongly accused first suspect once new evidence emerged.
Sheriff Smith reaffirmed the department’s dedication to justice, stating, “We moved swiftly to redirect our investigation and identify the correct suspect once new evidence came to light. Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family.”
