Arrest in hit-and-run death of mother of 5 on Long Island

NEW YORK - Suffolk County Police have arrested a Brentwood woman for a hit-and-run crash that killed a Commack woman in Hauppauge on May 23.

Madeline Henriquez, 22, is charged with manslaughter and other charges.

The vehicle went off of the road around 10:15 p.m. and hit Cherokee Fletcher, 28, of Commack, who was standing on the sidewalk, Suffolk County Police said. The driver then took off eastbound on Motor Parkway.

Fletcher was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.  

Prosecutors say Henriquez went home after killing Fletcher to clean her severely damaged car. She also arranged for a tow truck to pick it up telling the company her car was struck outside her home.

Fletcher's fiancée, Steven Bartolomey, says he is still struggling to process the devastating loss of the mother to his five children.

"She did the work of ten mothers even till the final moment when she took her final breath," Bartolomey said. "At least I have a face to the monster who did this to my children."

Bartolomey said Fletcher walked to the 7-Eleven down the road from the shelter they had been staying at in Hauppauge.

"She went out to get the kids trip money for our two oldest daughters," he said. "I was in the room watching my tablet, realized the time was late, and she should've been here."

Five young kids are now left without their mom.

"They're devastated," Bartolomey said. "Mommy isn't going to be around for Christmas this year."

Bartolomey told us the family was weeks away from moving out of the shelter. Now the single father is left mourning.

"My best friend, beautiful mother of five — all she wanted was a house for her kids and to start a life," he said.

Fletcher’s mom, Shannon Mistretta, says the pain is unimaginable.

"She’s my only child and world and I’m going to watch my grandbabies grow up without her," she said.

Henriquez posted $25,000 bail and walked out of court. Her attorney tells us his client offers her sincere condolences.

"She’s a good person, young, 22-years-old," said Henriquez's attorney, Robert Kelly. "It’s just an unfortunate accident."

"I can’t wait to see how they feel when their daughter is taken away from them and put in jail," Mistretta said. "At least they get to visit her. I have to visit a grave."

Henriquez is due back in court on June 28 and faces a maximum of 15 years in prison on the top count if convicted.