A woman who was horrifyingly set on fire by an assailant aboard a metro train in Chicago is facing a challenging recovery, with burns covering 60 percent of her body, according to her family.
On November 17, 26-year-old Bethany MaGee was attacked on the Blue Line. Despite being drenched in gasoline and ignited, she managed to escape the train and survive the ordeal.
Her family, including parents Greg and Emily and brothers Mark and John, shared an update on her condition through an online fundraising platform on Tuesday.
“Bethany is currently hospitalized, receiving treatment for the severe burns she sustained. She is under the expert care of her medical team,” they stated.
They described Bethany as a cherished member of their family and community, saying, “Bethany is a beloved daughter, sister, sister-in-law, granddaughter, and aunt. She is a good friend. She is sensitive, caring, intelligent, and imaginative.”
“She loves living in Chicago, and her gentle nature endears her to every animal she encounters,” her family added.
‘She enjoys playing tabletop and video games with her community, and she is quick to include others in conversations and make them feel welcome. She is kind.’
MaGee’s medical expenses are mostly covered by her insurance and a victim’s fund, but her family appealed for $24,000 to help her recovery.
‘With such a long road ahead of her, the freedom from financial worries would be a tremendous blessing,’ they wrote.
MaGee’s family said she has a ‘long road ahead of her’ after suffering burns to 60 percent of her body
Bethany MaGee, 26, was doused in gasoline and set alight on Chicago’s Blue Line on November 17, but managed to flee the train and survive
MaGee, from Upland in Indiana, is an animal lover and churchgoer who graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Her father Dr Gregory MaGee is a professor of Biblical studies at Taylor University, a Christian college in Indiana.
The man police named as her attacker, 50-year-old Lawrence Reed, is a serial criminal with 72 prior arrests freed months earlier by a judge after he allegedly attacked a social worker.
The attack drew comparisons to the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22.
MaGee suffered the most serious burns on her left arm and hand, according to an update from her church community.
She had surgery last week and is expected to be in hospital for at least three months for treatment and rehabilitation.
Her theologian father wrote in his biography that MaGee and her family enjoy spending time with one another, ‘hiking, being involved in their church, and playing games together’.
MaGee’s father is also a Sunday school church teacher and has authored multiple books on Christian scriptures and teachings – including St Paul’s letters.
Lawrence Reed is the suspect accused of setting MaGee alight. He has a slew of previous arrests and was branded a danger to society by prosecutors at his most recent court appearance on an assault charge in August
Surveillance footage shows the attack on MaGee. The attack drew comparisons to the murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, North Carolina
Reed was released on an ankle monitor after the August assault.
Surveillance footage showed MaGee sitting in the train car before Reed, a complete stranger, allegedly poured gasoline over her head and body.
In a horrifying chain of events, MaGee attempted to fight off her attacker while Reed allegedly tried to set her on fire.
Reed approached MaGee and repeatedly yelled ‘burn alive b***h,’ a criminal affidavit filed in federal court alleged.
Horrified locals now believe MaGee’s ordeal could have been avoided, had a female Illinois not judge ignored a prosecutor’s warnings about Reed.
Despite the prosecutor warning Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez that Reed had a lengthy rap sheet and his next crime would ‘likely be violent,’ she allowed him to walk free.
MaGee was seen running to the front of the train car to escape before her attacker allegedly ignited the bottle in his hand, according to the affidavit.
Reed then allegedly ran to the front of the train car and watched his victim as her body was ‘engulfed in flames.’
MaGee’s father, Dr Gregory MaGee, (pictured together) is a professor of Biblical studies at Taylor University, a Christian college in Indiana
MaGee with her mother Emily Willis MaGee, who is by her bedside along with her father and two brothers
Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, had her throat cut while traveling on a light rail train in August. Police say the man who killed her is DeCarlos Brown Jr – a serial criminal with a lengthy history
MaGee attempted to extinguish the flames by dropping to the ground, and fled the train car when it stopped at Clark and Lake.
The victim collapsed when she arrived at the station, and multiple witnesses attended to her while she waited for emergency responders.
Other commuters wrote harrowing accounts of witnessing the attack on MaGee and the aftermath.
‘I was there and I took my coat off and smothered the flames with it. It was not ideal as it was synthetic fibers but it was what I had and it put the fire out,’ one wrote.
‘I had started to run inside the train when I saw her but then I snapped out of it and realized someone had to help her.
‘There were a ton of people there but everyone was just standing around.
‘After I got the flames out I sat with her and the other women… sat by her head and talked with her which was really important.’
MaGee, of Upland in Indiana, worked as an analyst for heavy goods giant Caterpillar
Bethany MaGee, pictured, was set alight while traveling on a Chicago metro train last Monday
Another said they were at the train station that MaGee got off at moments after she escaped from her attacker.
‘Her upper body and head had severe, third-degree burns. The entire station smelled like burnt hair. It was horrific,’ they wrote.
‘What was even more saddening were the people taking videos and pictures. If you were there and one of the people doing it, well, I hope you find the humanity you were lacking in that moment.
‘To the woman sitting with her, and comforting her, good on you. Thankfully, she was talking which is a good sign.’
The Trump Administration seized on the attack and Reed being out on bail to bolster its claim that the National Guard should be deployed to Chicago.
‘As President Trump has long said, violent crime in Chicago is out of control,’ White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told the Daily Mail.
‘Local Democrat leaders, like (Illinois Governor JB) Pritzker, should spend their time addressing violent crime and welcoming the president’s help on the issue instead of succumbing to their Trump Derangement Syndrome and letting violent crime run rampant.
‘This tragic crime should have never happened and it sadly highlights the dangers of Democrat control.’
Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez (pictured) allowed Lawrence Reed, 50, to be released on an ankle monitor after he assaulted a social worker in August
Investigators said he attacked MaGee at random and obtained additional security footage of Reed allegedly filling a container with gasoline at a gas station 20 minutes before the attack
Reed was hit with a federal terrorism charge after investigators obtained security footage of Reed allegedly filling a container with gasoline at a gas station 20 minutes before the attack.
Reed has been arrested almost 50 times and has had multiple felony convictions over the past three decades.
As Judge Molina-Gonzalez released Reed in August, she said: ‘I can’t keep everybody in jail because the state’s attorney wants me to’, according to court transcripts.
US Attorney Andrew Boutros confirmed last Wednesday that the Chicago train attack was completely random.
‘We’ve watched the video and different angles of the video. And what we could say is this young woman was on her phone, going through her phone, minding her business, when [Reed] approached her and began throwing gasoline on her,’ he said.
‘I’ve seen reports that there was an altercation or that there was some kind of disagreement or argument that took place. Those statements are inaccurate and false.’
Reed has been arrested almost 50 times and has had multiple felony convictions over the last three decades
He approached the victim, who has not been identified, and repeatedly yelled ‘burn alive b***h,’ according to a criminal affidavit
The victim ran to the front of the train car to escape before her attacker allegedly ignited the bottle in his hand
Reed was arrested on November 18 and appeared to be wearing the same clothes he was seen in on the night of the attack.
The complaint also alleged he had ‘fire-related injuries’ on his hand.
Reed is accused of setting fire to MaGee at 9.24pm on a Monday, which is outside of the hours he was allowed out of the house while wearing the ankle monitor.
Records showed Judge Ralph Meczyk increased the hours he was allowed out of the home in September, but Mondays were not included.
The Daily Mail contacted the judges and the Circuit Court of Cook County for comment.
