A 5-year-old Louisiana boy was killed after being run over in his family’s driveway by his grandmother, who police allege was drunk and under the influence of depressants at the time of the accident.
During a press conference last Tuesday following the incident, Slidell Police Department announced the arrest of 55-year-old Kristen Anders, who was charged with vehicular homicide. The St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office formally identified her grandson as Carson Lawson the following day.
Police Chief Daniel Seuzeneau said officers were called to the family’s home at around 7 a.m. Tuesday, following reports that a child had been struck by a vehicle. Carson was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to investigators, Carson was standing in the driveway waiting for his school bus when Anders left the house to drive to work. Police allege she entered her SUV, which had been backed into the driveway, and began pulling forward, unaware the boy was directly in front of the vehicle. Because of the size of the SUV, Seuzeneau said, Carson was not visible to her. The child died instantly, according to police.
A drug recognition expert evaluated Anders at the scene. Seuzeneau said the expert determined she was impaired and under the influence of alcohol and central nervous system depressants, though police did not specify the specific substances involved. She was taken into custody shortly thereafter and later booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail. Her bond was set at $50,000.
Seuzeneau spoke about the impact on first responders.
“This is any parent’s worst nightmare,” he said. “I was at the scene this morning as well as several of our officers. This affects everyone. This hits home hard for all of us and all of the first responders who were at that scene.”
The police chief added that he had spoken several times with Carson’s mother on Tuesday.
“There isn’t anything that I can say that can make her feel better or make this situation better,” he said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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