‘A gentle, smart young woman’: Community shares new details about Bethany MaGee after brutal Chicago train attack
Bethany MaGee sustained severe burns to her face and body after Lawrence Reed allegedly set her on fire aboard a Chicago metro train.
More details have emerged about Bethany MaGee, the 26-year-old woman who was set on fire aboard a Chicago metro train by a man named Lawrence Reed.
Speaking to the New York Post, a friend described MaGee as “very soft-spoken, very gentle,” and an “incredibly smart” former honors student.
MaGee is originally from Upland, a small Indiana community of fewer than 4,000 residents and home to Taylor University.
Neighbors told the outlet that her family is devastated. One said the family “is going through a hard time, so we are praying for them.”
Another noted that Bethany MaGee was raised in a loving household: “They’re a wonderful family. …About as loving as you can be.”
That neighbor also emphasized the parents’ desire for privacy as they cope with the tragedy.
The incident
MaGee sustained severe burns to her face and body after Lawrence Reedallegedly set her on fire. Surveillance video shows a man approaching her from behind and dousing her with liquid from a bottle. MaGee tried to run, but the attacker chased her and ignited the fuel. She managed to exit the train at the next stop but collapsed on the platform. She remains in critical condition.
Lawrence Reed criminal history
According to the New York Post, Reed has 22 prior arrests since 2016 and a total of 53 criminal cases in Cook County dating back to 1993, including nine felony convictions.
Despite that history, Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez released Reed on a felony aggravated battery charge. He had allegedly slapped a social worker during an Aug. 19 incident at MacNeal Hospital’s psychiatric ward, knocking her unconscious.
Lawrence Reed now faces federal terrorism charges in connection with the attack on Bethany MaGee.
News
BREAKING: NEW DEVELOPMENTS EMERGE IN THE HENRY NOWAK CASE
BREAKING: NEW DEVELOPMENTS EMERGE IN THE HENRY NOWAK CASE The investigation surrounding Henry Nowak has taken another significant turn after authorities announced additional charges. The latest legal development is being described as a major shift in the case, with many…
UNBEARABL — HENRY NOWAK’S FATHER SPEAKS OUT AFTER THE SENTENCING
UNBEARABL — HENRY NOWAK’S FATHER SPEAKS OUT AFTER THE SENTENCING In an emotional public statement, Henry Nowak’s father has strongly criticized the way authorities handled his son’s final hours, describing the experience as “unbearable.” As the person responsible was sentenced,…
“THE DNA DIDN’T MATCH HIM.” 😳🚢 A major twist has emerged in the Anna Kepner case after investigators revealed DNA from an unknown teenage male was found during the cruise ship investigation 👀 👇 But it’s the single unidentified fingerprint that reportedly still doesn’t belong to anyone in the case that is now raising even more questions
New questions raised over Anna Kepner’s Carnival cruise murder after DNA from unknown male minor found Anna Kepner, 18, allegedly had sex with an unknown male juvenile aboard a Carnival cruise ship shortly before her shocking death, federal prosecutors revealed….
He’s changed: Ryan Willis McFarland, the son of the man accused of killing six family members before committing suicide, leaving his only son grieving the loss of his entire family, has officially spoken out to recount everything that happened, revealing his motives
Son loses entire family after father kills 6 before turning gun on himself, police say Six people were killed in an Iowa town before the gunman fatally shot himself, according to local police. Muscatine police said 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland…
“If only I had looked back one more time…”: The father of 12-year-old Xavier Taylor says there’s a small detail hidden in the last family photo taken that afternoon, and now he can’t stop staring at it
In the dim glow of a hospital room at University Hospital in San Antonio, where the rhythmic beeps of life-support machines formed a constant backdrop to whispered prayers, the father of 12-year-old Xavier Taylor found himself trapped in an endless…
THEY DIDN’T REALIZE IT UNTIL LATER…: Following the latest update on Xavier Taylor’s health, his best friend revealed a problem with the protective gear—and the reason why left everyone speechless
In the hushed atmosphere of Xavier Taylor’s hospital room at University Hospital in San Antonio, where the faint glow of monitors cast long shadows across the walls lined with children’s drawings, the latest medical update delivered another layer of uncertainty…
End of content
No more pages to load
