Charged in girl's death

BY JIM MUSTIAN
THE DAILY IBERIAN
Published/Last Modified on Friday, May 15, 2009 2:02 PM CDT

An Erath woman cited in a crash that killed her 4-year-old granddaughter was indicted this week on new charges of vehicular homicide after she reportedly failed a drug test, prosecutors said.

Susan Hebert, 47, 3134 Anna Drive, turned herself in to authorities Thursday afternoon and was charged in the death of Katelyn Hebert.

The indictment, handed down Wednesday by an Iberia Parish grand jury, came after Hebert reportedly tested positive for an illegal substance following the October crash.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Odinet declined to specify the toxicology results but said alcohol was not involved. State Police said drugs were suspected after Hebert told a state trooper she had a prescription for Lortab — a pain reliever containing the narcotic hydrocodone — though she added she did not take the medication the day of the crash.

Before the indictment, Hebert was cited because Katelyn, at 4 years old, was not supposed to be riding in the front seat under state law. Katelyn also was wearing her seat belt improperly — the shoulder strap was behind the head rest — and broke her neck in the crash, State Police said.

Law enforcement officials and local advocates of child car seat safety have pointed to the crash as an example of how car seats can mean the difference between life and death in a crash. Katelyn’s 1-year-old sister, Kylee, was properly restrained in a car seat in the back seat and sustained only minor injuries even though the car flipped several times, State Police said.

“With all of the public awareness strongly encouraging the importance of keeping children properly restrained, this child should never have been riding around otherwise,” said Tracy LeMaire, a local coordinator of the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force. “The death of a child is always a tragic event, especially when it is a result of circumstances that could have been prevented.”

The crash happened on a Sunday morning along Louisiana 89 just north of Delcambre after Hebert lost control of the car at a slight curve and veered off the road, State Police said. Hebert, the driver, was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected through the driver’s side window.

She sustained moderate injuries, State Police said, and was treated at Abbeville General Hospital.

If convicted of vehicular homicide, Hebert faces a minimum sentence of two years and a $2,000 fine. Vehicular homicide carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $15,000 fine.

Hebert was released from the Iberia Parish Correctional Center on $50,000 bond.

Print this story Post a Comment

Comments

to me wrote on Jun 2, 2009 3:22 PM:

" You said "everyone is guilty of not putting there child in a car seat one time or another" There are sone people that believe in car seats & never leave a driveway without one being buckled. My children (5 & 3) are too precious to me & their father or anyone else they ride with not to use seatbelts properly. I don't like the fact that buses don't have seatbelts, so I bring my child to school myself. Evenso, I pray for the family, grandmother included. Noone deserves that pain. Hopefully this teaches some the importance of correctly using seatblets. "

Gordon wrote on May 27, 2009 2:21 PM:

" The idiotic comments on here are just staggering. I mean really people use that thing between your shoulders for something other than a hat rack "

To Praying for Peace for the Babies wrote on May 27, 2009 11:15 AM:

" Laws are not causing people to be "under the influence". Some people cause themselves to be "under the influence" by using alcohol, illegal drugs, or certain perscription medications.

For safety reasons, the laws make it illegal to drive while impaired by alcohol, illegal drugs, or certain perscription medications. "

BuckleUP wrote on May 26, 2009 1:14 PM:

" God bless this family... I must say that I see people all of the time with kids jumping around in the back seat, or in laps in the front seat and it makes me so mad. I wish there was some way to get people to stop being so lazy and strap these kids up. I too remember not having to wear a seatbelt. We used to climb up onto the sill of the back windshield... But times have changed... vehicles AND drivers are not what they used to be. Facts are facts and seatbelts save lives. "

NL wrote on May 24, 2009 11:30 AM:

" We've all faced consequences for our actions. We've all wished for a "do-over" at least once in our lives; maybe not to this extent, but we've all committed an action or two on the side of error. The families of everyone involved are hurting. There are going to be lots of false accusations, blaming and hurtful things said by many people. My heart goes out to the mother, the father & the grandmother. It amazes me the level of stupidity some of these forum writers are drowning in. "

to this is sad wrote on May 24, 2009 9:25 AM:

" Your putting your nose where it don't belong, alot of us are family, and our lives are straight get yours straight and write about someone or something you know "

This is very sad wrote on May 24, 2009 9:10 AM:

" Yall all need to stop adding yall comments and inputs bout what yall think happen.. No matter what yall say or do nutting will bring precious little katelyn back.. So yall should just stop and pray that justice will be serve and the family would get some relief.. The pain will also be with the family but i feel this is making the pain more difficult for the family .. R.I.P Katelyn "

this is sad wrote on May 23, 2009 10:55 PM:

" "If all of you people would stop all this drama then maybe yall can get yall lifes straight.And stop blaming one another.I don't know who yall are.But yall must not have nothing better to do then blam one another.It's crazy people go everyday i know it is hard." "

Praying for Peace for the Babies wrote on May 23, 2009 10:31 AM:

" What I don't understand is how can it take this long for the results to come in? This happened around October, you can get drug screen results within 3 days. Now that the family has had all of this time to try to get their lives back together although it will never be complete again, and then they find out the woman was on drugs when she killed her grandchild. The laws are causing more people to be "under the influence" than anything - anti-depressants, relaxers, "happy pills" - to protect ourselves or those who hurt you? "

You dont know wrote on May 23, 2009 8:58 AM:

" The father let his mother bring the girls back to there mother, none of this is the mothers fault, so before you go pointing fingers know what your talking about and this comes from mikes side of the family who blames susan because we tried to warn her of her actions but like always she always knew better so we think she should get the max cause she knew she had a problem. JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL "

To Unknown wrote on May 23, 2009 7:47 AM:

" The mother did not let the children go with their grandmother. The father had his weekend court ordered visitation. Instead of bringing the kids home like he was supposed to, he let his mother bring the children home. So you see, the mother is not at fault, the father is! "

Drunks Against Mad Mothers wrote on May 22, 2009 3:33 PM:

" To "Loreauville",
Your second comment is absurd. (Not that your first comment wasn't absurd, just not your second comment was just more absurd.)
So you're saying that a driver who's had 2 or 3 drinks (enough to exceed the legal limit), is sitting at a red light, and is rear-ended by soccer mom driving a beige tahoe talking on a cell phone, is liable for the injuries sustained by the soccer mom's kids?
Loreauville logic.
I'd bet that at least one of you have driven drunk or not properly restrained your kid at least once "

DI Reader wrote on May 22, 2009 3:22 PM:

" The law is the law. You break the law, you pay the concequences. She may be hurting but she has to face the fact that she caused this. Yes, it was an accident but YES she drove under the influence with those children in the car. If she would have killed a stranger in another vehicle I would feel the same way. I know that people drive "intoxicated" all the time and I feel the same way about them. If you are impared, wreck, kill someone, you should go to jail. Plain and simple! And hopefully she will! "

unknown wrote on May 22, 2009 2:14 PM:

" Not only is the grandmother at fault but also the mother is..If the grandmother was taking the prescription medicine like it says then why the mother let her child go with the gramdmother. This all could of been prevented. You have to be very careful of who you choose to put you kids life in the hands of... "

tammy wrote on May 22, 2009 12:57 PM:

" "Okay you get to see the pain in the mothers' eyes well i meet up with that susan lady one time and she still has pain in her eyes.People she lost her grandaughter just like the mother lost her daughter pain is pain it's the same pain as the hole family feels it's not just the mother and the daughter it's everyone in the family." "

Again to The one who knows the truth wrote on May 22, 2009 8:47 AM:

" Also, who on Earth wouldn't know to buckle up! There are warning all over the place including the TV and radio! IT'S THE LAW!!!!!!!!! So you can not say she was never warned. "

Knows the facts wrote on May 22, 2009 7:06 AM:

" Whatever people! I won't sit here and argue with you. The fact is that car seats were bought for these people because they were to ignorant to buy their own. Anyone in their right mind knows not to put a child in the front seat not buckled properly. Yes accidents happen but driving under the influence is just plain stupid, especially with your precious grand babies in the car! All I have to say is JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL!!!! "

The one who knows the truth wrote on May 21, 2009 11:39 PM:

" ''The one that knows the truth people shouldnt make comments if they dont know what there talking about. i would thinking that the grandmothers is hurting every day since she has to live with this the rest of her life.and to the people hu said she was warned before to buckle her up dont know what there talking about she was never warned'so think before you speak' "

kristy wrote on May 21, 2009 9:43 PM:

" "It doesn't take a wreck to take someones life.I mean people die everyday from all kinds of things .So why blam that lady susan for this it doesn't make any sence.A accent is an accent.And put her in jail for what it wasn't like she couldn't drive i mean that road has alot of curves worser than that one.And plus she was so worried about the girls that where in that car with her so we knew that she loved those girls and from what i seen she was not messed up hurt yeah." "

To I Know wrote on May 21, 2009 6:23 PM:

" The fact that you are ignoring is that she was under the influence of prescription AND illegal drugs! Yes, she may be hurting but she also did wrong. She deserves to pay for what she did. A person on drugs and a child not restrianed properly is a BAD combination.I will never stop saying she should get the max because I get to see the pain in that child's mothers eyes EVERYDAY!!!!!!!!!!! "

I KNOW wrote on May 20, 2009 6:11 PM:

" " Put your self in her shoes.It was an accident and anccidents happen to everyone.Someone asked if the grandmother is suffering don't you think that she is suffering just as much as the mother.If you don't know the story then stop making yall comment.I'm pretty sure it's not just the mother the hole family is suffering.So don't just feel sorry for her it's the hole family.All of you are saying that she should get the max what good is that it's not gonna bring that little girl back." "

Loreauville wrote on May 20, 2009 3:46 PM:

" I don't care if the victim was totally in the wrong. I don't care if the kids was riding his bike in the middle of the road or if he pulled right out in front of the OWI or DWI offender. If you are OWI or DWI, you ACCEPT ALL WRONG, period. You shouldn't have been behind the wheel at all. If she would have stayed her sorry behind where ever she became under the influence, that boy would still be alive! "

Loreauville wrote on May 20, 2009 10:21 AM:

" Also confused......this forum is about children not being properly restrained while in a vehicle, your post has NOTHING to do with that....your just starting mess, the courts and God will decide her fate......also the news did not correct the story yet in that she was initially charged with DWI but the charge was changed to OWI a much lesser offense because as I said before she was not "intoxicated" "

Friend wrote on May 19, 2009 10:19 PM:

" Confused "In the defense of the Loreauville Lady you need to get your facts straight. Your reading about it in other papers. So, if you really don't know the facts don't write about your opinion. The story we are reading about does not even compare. Also, she is someones daughter but, not the way you think." "

dah wrote on May 18, 2009 5:08 PM:

" this is not the 40 and 50's there are alot of more people on the street and alot of more drugs on the street thats why laws like this are made. I beleive her sentence will be determined by evidence so she probably will get the max "

me wrote on May 18, 2009 1:41 PM:

" Firstly i would like to say i find susan should NOT get the max sentence as it was a accident and besides everyone is guilty of not putting there child in a car seat one time or another and everyone is goin to sit here and deny it oh i know, yea it hurts that a child had to die cause of it but im sure it was not her intentions on hurting her grand daughter in any kind of way so NO i dont think she should get the max sentence. "

Confused wrote on May 18, 2009 10:20 AM:

" What about the 24 year old Loreauville woman who killed the 15 year old boy riding his bike? I'm only reading about it in the other city's papers. She was intoxicated but is only getting first offense DWI? She must be "somebody's" daughter. I thought anyone who gets in an automobile was responsible for their own lethal weapon. 1st offense DWI...she's driving today--everyone, be careful--you won't even be safe on sidewalks unless you are "somebody." "

ETEE wrote on May 18, 2009 3:36 AM:

" I was a little kid in the late 40's & 50's. We didn't have seat belts or child car seats. They didn't exist. Dad actually paid attention to driving when he was behind the wheel. Most times we sat up front if Mom wasn't with us. And all 5 of us survived. But I guess thats a statistical impossibility according to the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force. Trust your Nanny Dot Gov. "

very mad wrote on May 17, 2009 12:08 AM:

" the grandmother need to get the max. That presious little angel never got to see the age of 5 and the mother and sister will never see there daughter/sister again. She was told plenty of times to put her in a car seat and she still put her in the front seat with just a lap seat belt. She needs the MAX!!!! "

responsponding wrote on May 16, 2009 3:35 PM:

" The lady on Jefferson Terrace broke one law of not restraining her child, unlike Susan Hebert, the other mothers toxicology results came back with nothing in her system. "

responding to question wrote on May 16, 2009 3:12 PM:

" Because that woman was not high on xanax, loratabs and marijuana, thats why she was not charged with vehicular homicide "

To those who say example is needed wrote on May 16, 2009 1:08 PM:

" What about the woman on Jefferson Terrace that killed her two year old daughter because she was not restrained at all and was thrown from the vehicle with her siblings, and landed with the vehicle on top of her????? "

Amy wrote on May 15, 2009 10:49 PM:

" I was one of the first four at the seen of accident. I along with one other lady are the ones who found little Katelyn. I loved her from the moment I saw her. I pray that justice is served! I hope people learn a lesson from this and buckle their kids in the right way. I have always refused to even leave my driveway if my little ones aren't buckled correctly, I hope others do too. God Bless Katelyn's mom and baby Kylee and R.I.P. Katelyn. "

unknown wrote on May 15, 2009 6:40 PM:

" In this case they should give the Grandmother the maximum sentence of 20 years to set an example! This is something that could have been prevented!!!! "

Moms against stupidity wrote on May 15, 2009 3:25 PM:

" At her age she should have known better than to have a 4 year old child in the front seat of a vehicle! Then to neglect to properly restrain her. This woman needs a harsh punishment. Just because she was the grandmother does not mean she should be shown pity by anyone.

People children are the greatest gifts that God gives to us. We should not neglect them for we shall be punished here on earth and on judgement day.

I pray for the mother and father of this innocent little angel. "

Someone Who Knows wrote on May 15, 2009 2:49 PM:

" Justice will prevail. This woman was told several times to buckle this child properly and continuously failed to do so. I hope to see her get the maximum sentence! This child died due to the continued negligance of the Grandmother. I hope she feels the pain that the poor mother of this child feels every day of her life! Not only did she have prescription drugs in her system but also illegal NON PRESCRIPTION drugs! I hope the courts will see through her and give her the maximum sentance and fine! "

WRITE A COMMENT

Use the form below to post a brief comment related to this story. Use the word count tool to assist you in keeping your remarks to 100 words or fewer.

•Comments must be approved by an editor or the publisher before appearing on the Web site but are not verified for accuracy nor have we verified the identity of any person supposedly posting an comment. Please consider this as you consider any statement made. A thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.

• Please note your comments must attempt to follow basic rules of grammar and punctuation or they will not be posted. Do not use unfamiliar abbreviations or text-like short cuts, like ur for your. Please keep your tone civil. You can say someone's idea is stupid but you cannot say someone is stupid.

• Comments should deal with matters of public concern. Problems with private individuals or private companies are not likely to get posted.

• Questions or comments about items posted should be e-mailed to dailyiberian@bellsouth.net.

Classifieds

Place Your Ad

View All Ads

Contact Us

Subscribe
Vacation Hold
General Email

Mailing Address:
The Daily Iberian
P.O. Box 9290
New Iberia, LA
70562-9290

Street Address:
926 East Main St.
New Iberia, LA 70560

Phone:
(337) 365-6773

Fax:
(337)-367-9640

Inside Louisiana:
800-365-6773

Charged in girl's death

Comments

WRITE A COMMENT

Classifieds

Jobs

Homes

Autos

Contact Us

Local Weather