Giselle Smith,Semaj Morris Obituary, Death; – The Orleans Parish Coroner has confirmed the identities of the two teenagers who lost their lives in a crash on Wednesday night (December 11) as Giselle Smith and Semaj Morris, both aged 17.
According to family members, the incident left Smith’s 21-year-old sister, Paris Kiper, in critical condition. Smith and Morris, students at West Jefferson High School, were traveling in a Toyota Camry when their vehicle was struck by a car driven by suspected shoplifter Joneaka Smooth, as reported by police.
The collision occurred after authorities indicated that 30-year-old Smooth, accompanied by two accomplices, fled from deputies responding to a shoplifting incident. Investigators noted that Smooth was driving erratically on I-10 before exiting at St. Bernard Avenue, crossing several lanes, jumping a median, and colliding with the Camry.
Court records from Jefferson Parish reveal that Smooth has a criminal history dating back to at least 2017. She has previously pleaded guilty to two felony theft charges and two misdemeanor theft charges. In 2023, a judge in Jefferson Parish sentenced her to two years in prison, but the sentence was suspended, allowing her to be released on probation.
On Friday (December 13), an Orleans Parish judge requested that the state pardon and parole department be informed of Smooth’s new case. Rafael Goyeneche, president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, expressed his belief that Smooth’s prior guilty pleas would likely aggravate any sentence she may receive if convicted.
Smooth turned herself in to authorities on Thursday and is facing charges of manslaughter, hit-and-run, and fleeing from police. One accomplice remains at large, while another, identified as 37-year-old Lisa Herring, has reportedly been detained, although she has not yet appeared in court records.
Family members report that Kiper, who celebrated her 21st birthday on Thursday, is in critical condition but has shown some signs of responsiveness, including squeezing a relative’s hand. The family of Smith is already grieving the loss of Giselle’s mother, who passed away from colon cancer earlier this year.
