The 7-Eleven worker whose manager allegedly sat on her until she couldn’t breathe, has been taken off life support.
Jessica McLaughlin’s family says now they are focusing on giving Jessica a proper burial and send off.
The suspect in the case was identified by a local TV station as Valeria Parra, but has not been formally identified by police. She remains at large.
Highlights
- Jessica McLaughlin, who was hospitalized after her manager allegedly sat on her, has been taken off life support
- Police have not formally identified the suspect, but local media say Valeria Parra was the manager at the 7-Eleven store where the incident took place
- Now Jessica’s family is preparing her funeral and burial arrangements, as the police investigate the incident as a homicide, with the suspect still at large
Jessica was allegedly beaten and suffocated by her boss until she stopped breathing
Image credits: Jessica Mclaughlin / Facebook
Image credits: ABC7
Jessica McLaughlin was an employee at a 7-Eleven on Melrose Avenue in L.A.
Six days ago she got into a violent altercation with her manager that resulted in her being on life support.
Now, according to a statement on her GoFundMe page, McLaughlin’s family has made the heartbreaking decision to pull the plug.
Her family had been holding out hope, but finally, had to do the unthinkable
Image credits: gofundme
Image credits: gofundme
According to LAPD Officer Norma Eisenman, police responded to reports of a fight between two female employees on June 24th.
“A verbal dispute escalated into a physical altercation,” Eisenman said, resulting in one woman being made unconscious and critically injured.
On the day of the assault, Jessica was transported to the hospital in critical condition and never regained consciousness.
Her family, who had been holding out hope for a recovery, was ultimately informed that a lack of oxygen had caused irreversible brain damage.
Image credits: gofundme
“After getting multiple medical opinions and exhausting every option, we had to face the unthinkable and say goodbye,” Sean McLaughlin, her brother, wrote on the fundraising page.
Media report that Jessica passed away surrounded by loved ones, including her parents, siblings, and boyfriend.
The McLaughlin family is now raising funds to cover funeral expenses and to honor Jessica’s memory with a meaningful service.
“We want to give her the beautiful farewell she deserves,” Sean said.
Police are still searching for the location of the prime suspect in the case
Image credits: gofundme
The exact details of the case are still under investigation.
According to People Magazine Sean alleged that his sister was "violently and senselessly attacked" by her manager, who "held her down, sat on top of her, and didn’t let her breathe."
Jessica’s family also told sources that she had been getting bullied at work.
It’s unclear whether the same manager was the perpetrator in the bullying instances, some of which involved physical assault, like hair pulling.
Image credits: Anthony McLaughlin / Facebook
Sean said that, according to other co-workers, the manager who assaulted Jessica on June 24th fled the scene and deleted the security video of the incident as co-workers performed CPR.
The name of the suspect, according to KTLA, is Valeria Parra, although police have not officially released the name yet.
Police say her whereabouts are unknown, although they are treating the case as a homicide.
A 7-Eleven spokesperson confirmed that the person involved in the attack was an employee and has since been terminated.
“Our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy,” 7-Eleven said in a statement.
“She rooted for the underdog and lifted people up”: Family remember Jessica’s kind heart
Image credits: gofundme
Jessica has been described as a “daughter, a best friend, and the kind of auntie every kid dreams of having.”
On her GoFundMe page, her brother Sean writes that Jessica had been a major source of support for him while living together the past five years.
“She was always there — for me, for our family, and honestly, for anyone who needed her,” he wrote
Image credits: Valeria Parra Ochoa / Facebook
Friends will remember Jessica's generosity and upbeat spirit.
“She was the kind of person who rooted for the underdog, who lifted people up when they were down, and who truly saw the good in everyone,” Sean said on the fundraising site.
“She had such a beautiful soul and deserved so much better than the way her life was taken from her.”
“Just sat back and watched”: People express outrage at lack of assistance for Jessica
Image credits: gofundme
The case has gripped the internet with many online saying there should be more outrage over the incident, and that her fellow co-workers should have done more to help her.
People wonder why other colleagues: “Just sat back and watched as the other coworker sat on her till she passed out!”
The lack of information is also piqueing internet interest with many people saying that if the person was fired, then her name should be made public.
“An employee at the store has been fired by the company, and no one knows her? Make this make sense!” one person said.
Image credits: Anthony McLaughlin / Facebook
Netizens opinions on the passing of a 7-Eleven worker are supportive of her family and critical of the ongoing investigation
