NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — On April 27, the New Orleans Police Department announced the arrest of a man in connection to the death of a toddler that happened Tuesday evening in the French Quarter.
NOPD reports that 18-year-old Donell E. Barthelemy was arrested for two separate homicides. The first homicide happened in the 2400 block of Ursulines Avenue in Treme, the second in the 400 block of Burgundy Street.
On Tuesday evening around 4 p.m., police responded to a call of shots fired in the 400 block of Burgundy Street. Upon their arrival, they found an unresponsive 3-year-old girl.
The toddler was taken to a local hospital where she later died.
On Thursday, the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office identified the child as 3-year-old Autumn Barthelemy, the suspect’s sister.
During the investigation of the child’s death, detectives learned that Barthelemy had an active arrest warrant as to the perpetrator of a homicide on September 30, 2021, in the 2400 block of Ursulines Avenue when 34-year-old Brian Thomas was killed.
NOPD Homicide Unit detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Barthelemy on one count of second-degree murder in this incident.
Barthelemy was booked accordingly into the Orleans Parish Justice Center.
In addition to the Burgundy Street incident, detectives obtained an additional arrest warrant for Barthelemy on one count of negligent homicide.
He will be booked on both charges according to NOPD.
Anyone with additional information on the September 2021 incident is asked to contact NOPD Homicide Detective Lucretia Gantner.
Anyone with additional information on the April 26 homicide is asked to contact NOPD Homicide Detective Michael Haynes.
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