Hampden County resident Yaseri Cortes, of Springfield, was killed just before 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19, in Enfield. Connecticut State Police said she was standing in the center southbound lane of I-91 when she was hit. The driver sped away after the crash. No one has been arrested as of Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities pronounced the former Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical High School student dead at the scene.
The news of Cortes' death quickly made the rounds on social media. She was remembered as a vibrant and kind woman who made time to help her friends and take care of the people she loved.
Many social media posts memorializing Cortes included the hashtag #JusticeForSeri or demanded answers in the case.
Friends created a GoFundMe to help pay for Yaseri Cortes' funeral costs. As of Tuesday afternoon, the campaign had raised more than $1,400 of its $10,000 goal.
Click here to see the GoFundMe fundraiser.
Connecticut state police ask anyone with information on the crash that killed Cortes to contact Trooper Michael Dean at 860-534-1098 or through email at michael.dean@ct.gov.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hartford and receive free news updates.