A 55-year-old Louisiana grandmother, Kristen Anders, faces vehicular homicide charges after allegedly fatally striking her 5-year-old grandson, Carson Lawson, in Slidell, Louisiana. The incident occurred just after 7 a.m. Wednesday when Anders, who was found to be impaired and under the influence of alcohol and central nervous system depressants, ran over the boy while driving.
Slidell Police Department responded to the 300 block of Spartan Loop for a car hitting a young child in a driveway. Anders was not aware Lawson was outside at the time of the crash and stopped the car immediately upon realizing she had hit something. Police confirmed that the 5-year-old had two siblings in the vicinity who also attended the same school.
The St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office has not yet provided details on the cause of death, though preliminary findings suggest the child did not survive the incident. Officers noted that Anders exhibited signs of impairment at the scene and the police chief emphasized the tragic nature of the situation for the family, describing it as a ‘very tragic situation’ that leaves them to deal with both the loss of their child and the legal consequences.
The case has sparked renewed discussions about impaired driving and child safety in the community. While the charges are ongoing, the case has drawn attention to the need for stricter enforcement of impaired driving laws to prevent similar tragedies.
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