Investigators with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office have cleared a Slidell man of vehicular homicide, and arrested a Slidell woman in the case.
On August 13, a 6-year-old boy was struck and killed while riding a scooter in his driveway off Northshore Lane east of Slidell. The driver didn't stop.
Deputies later arrested 35-year-old Cody Beaudette, but Friday evening, the sheriff's office announced that new evidence had surfaced that pointed to a different vehicle.
The sheriff's office Friday arrested 40-year-old Connie Noel Estes (also known as Connie Noel Flettrich or Noel Gorgone) for felony hit and run and other charges.
Sheriff Randy Smith also addressed rumors online that Estes was not the first one arrested because of an alleged relationship with a member of the sheriff's office.
"There has been speculation on social media and in the community suggesting that Ms. Estes is either related to or romantically involved with an employee of the Sheriff’s Office, and that this may have influenced our investigation. That is absolutely false. Even if such a connection existed, it would not—and did not—affect the course of our investigation in any way," said Smith.
"I am deeply disgusted that someone would strike a child and leave them to die. What’s even more appalling is that this individual allowed someone else to take the blame for their actions," the sheriff said.
All charges against Baudette were referred to the district attorney's office for review, but the sheriff's office on Friday withdrew its request to pursue charges against Baudette.