The families who filled a St. Tammany Parish courtroom this week were braced for the start of a long-awaited trial. Instead, they walked out with more questions and another date circled on the calendar.
Connie Noel Estes, 40, the Slidell woman accused of striking and killing a 6-year-old boy in a driveway hit-and-run, was expected to appear for the start of jury selection. She never made it before the judge, and the trial did not get underway as planned.
According to WDSU, attorneys on both sides agreed to push the start of the trial later into the week. Prosecutors told the station that Estes has until Thursday to decide whether to move ahead with jury selection or pursue a possible plea deal instead. Both families, including relatives of Jeremiah Ramirez and of the initially suspected driver, were in the courtroom and were taken out for private talks with their lawyers before the delay was announced.
The crash and the charges
The 22nd Judicial District Attorney's Office says a grand jury indicted Estes on October 22, 2025, on charges of hit-and-run driving resulting in death and obstruction of justice tied to an August 13, 2025 crash. Prosecutors identify the victim as 6-year-old Jeremiah Ramirez, who deputies say was riding a scooter in his driveway in the Northshore area when he was struck and killed.
Initial confusion over the suspect
In the chaotic days after the August 13 collision, investigators focused on a different driver. Deputies first arrested another Slidell man, Cody Beaudette, and authorities initially moved toward vehicular homicide charges. That changed when new evidence pointed to a different vehicle. As reported by WLOX, video and other materials shifted the investigation, and Estes was arrested on August 29.
What happened in court this week
Inside the St. Tammany Parish courthouse, lawyers for both sides briefly stepped into the hallway to speak with relatives before returning to say that jury selection would not begin that day, WDSU reports. Prosecutors told the station that they and defense counsel agreed to delay the kickoff of the trial to allow more time to sort out strategy, leaving Thursday as the target to either start picking a jury or put a plea on the record.
What’s next
Court records show Estes was arraigned last November and remains in the pretrial phase while prosecutors prepare their case. Local coverage indicates that both families are expected back in court this week for what could be a plea-status hearing or the opening of jury selection. WWL-TV reports that the district attorney's office is coordinating with the defense team on how the case will proceed.
Hoodline first tracked the twists in the case last August, including the initial misidentification of a different driver, in its earlier report Connie Estes Arrested. Ramirez's family is expected to return to court again this week as proceedings continue.
According to the DA's office, Estes faces felony hit-and-run and obstruction counts. The case is set to move through additional pretrial hearings before any jury is formally seated. As with all criminal proceedings, Estes is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and the timing of a full trial will hinge on court scheduling and the outcome of any plea negotiations between prosecutors and the defense.
