A young 7-Eleven employee in Los Angeles has died after being declared brain-dead following a brutal on-the-job assault by her manager, who remains on the run.
Jessica McLaughlin, 24, was working her shift on June 24 when she got into an argument with her female manager around 2 p.m. According to police and witness accounts, the manager suddenly launched a “violent and senseless” attack, pulling Jessica’s hair and forcing her to the ground before sitting on her upper body with her full weight, preventing her from breathing.
“She held her down, sat on top of her, and didn’t let her breathe,” Jessica’s brother, Sean McLaughlin, wrote on a GoFundMe page created to support the family.
Horrified coworkers tried to pull the manager off Jessica but were allegedly attacked themselves. Meanwhile, the suspect is believed to have run into the store’s back office to try to erase security footage.
Jessica lost consciousness during the struggle and never woke up. She was rushed to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, where doctors determined she was brain-dead due to a lack of oxygen. Her family made the heartbreaking decision to take her off life support days later.
“Jessica had a way of making people feel safe, accepted, and loved,” her brother wrote. “She had such a beautiful soul and deserved so much better than the way her life was taken from her.”
Local authorities continue to search for the suspected attacker, who has been fired by 7-Eleven.
“Our hearts are with those impacted during this difficult time. The suspect has been terminated, and we continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement in their investigation,” the company said in a statement.
The investigation remains ongoing as police work to locate the former manager.
