Los Angeles, 3 July

Jessica McLaughlin, a 24-year-old woman working at a 7-Eleven in Los Angeles, has died days after being declared brain-dead, following a violent workplace assault allegedly carried out by her manager.

The incident occurred on 24 June around 2pm during McLaughlin’s shift. According to reports, an argument broke out between Jessica and a female manager, escalating to a horrifying physical attack. Witnesses and family members say the manager violently pulled Jessica’s hair, forced her to the ground, and then sat on her upper body—completely restricting her ability to breathe.

“She held her down, sat on top of her, and didn’t let her breathe,” Jessica’s brother, Sean McLaughlin, shared on a GoFundMe page set up to support the grieving family.

Shortly after the assault, Jessica collapsed inside the store. She was rushed to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital but never regained consciousness. Doctors determined she had suffered severe brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation and declared her brain-dead.

Days later, after an agonizing wait and with no signs of recovery, Jessica’s family made the heart-wrenching decision to remove her from life support. She passed away on Wednesday.

The accused manager, whose identity has not been publicly released, is currently on the run. Reports suggest that the accused may have attempted to delete surveillance footage from the store’s back office before fleeing the scene.

Jessica’s death has left her family, coworkers, and community in shock, sparking questions about workplace safety and accountability.