Vigil held for woman killed by hit-and-run driver in Fairfield

Friends and family held a vigil for a Pennsylvania woman who was killed in a hit-and-run in Fairfield on the Fourth of July.

News 12 Staff

Jul 10, 2020, 9:54 AM

Updated 1,625 days ago

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Friends and family held a vigil for a Pennsylvania woman who was killed in a hit-and-run in Fairfield on the Fourth of July.
Friends and family held a vigil Thursday night for the victim, Marileidy Morel Araujo.
Morel Araujo grew up in New Jersey, and her family says she loved to travel and take photos. When Morel Araujo and her fiancée Danny Fernandez came to visit his sister Saturday, they told her they were engaged.
The engagement came after Fernandez fought a long battle with the coronavirus. Fernandez says during the weeks he was in the hospital and on a ventilator, she was his rock and was the reason he got the plasma he needed to survive.
Benjamin Urriola was driving down Redding Road when he saw Araujo lying on the ground and stopped to help. He didn't know her until her last few minutes of life, but came out to remember her at the vigil.
"I am blessed to have spent those last few seconds with her because I've met and spoke to so many people who have spoke to who she was and she was a true blessing to this world," said Urriola.
The family says Araujo sent her last photos of her July 4 celebrations at 7:33 p.m. Saturday. They believe it was right after she hit send when she was struck.
The 32-year-old will be laid to rest in Patterson next week.
The man accused of striking Araujo, Declan Kot, a volunteer firefighter and constable from Easton, will face a judge Wednesday.
Fairfield police say surveillance video led them to the 22-year-old.
He was taken into custody Wednesday night after being interviewed by police earlier in the day.
Easton's first selectman confirmed Kot has been suspended from his position as town constable, and the fire department also suspended Kot following his arrest.