Four teenagers in New Orleans were arrested this week in connection with the gruesome murder of a 73-year-old woman who was dragged to her death in a carjacking that severed her arm.
The victim, Linda Frickey, was killed Monday after her 2021 gray Nissan Kicks was stolen, police said. Frickey was found on the ground unresponsive on North Scott Street. She died at the scene.
A 17-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and two 15-year-old girls were taken into custody and face charges of second-degree murder, New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said at a news conference Tuesday. Their names have not been released because they are juveniles. It was not clear whether they have obtained attorneys.
"I want to express my prayers and condolences to the family of Ms. Linda Frickey," he said, calling her death a "senseless, violent incident."
The carjacking happened around 1:30 p.m. Monday. Ferguson said Frickey became tangled in her seat belt, which led to her arm’s being severed as she was dragged down the street.
The suspects are alleged to have dragged her for more than a block before she became dislodged, NBC affiliate WDSU of New Orleans reported. Her family said she was leaving work at Security Plan Insurance when the incident happened.
"She was coming out of her office building putting something in her car. She got tangled in her seat belt, because they did not give her time to get out," said Kathy Richard, Frickey’s sister-in-law.
"It is disgusting. You have a 73-year-old woman just at her job. Putting things in the car. They dragged her. No forethought. Dismembered her. Why? She was just a good person," Richard said.
Immediately after police asked for help identifying the suspects, the parents of one of the 15-year-old girls contacted investigators and turned their daughter in.
The parents of the 17-year-old then contacted police. Ferguson said that a search warrant was issued and that the 17-year-old was arrested at a home with the 16-year-old girl. The final suspect turned herself in Tuesday afternoon, Ferguson said.
"I want to commend them for doing the right thing," he said, noting that he knows it must have been a difficult decision. "Absolutely, we need more parenting like that."
The carjacking remains under investigation.