Woman, 19, Attacked On Chicago Train In Broad Daylight, Other Passengers Ignore Her Pleas For Help
Jessica Hughes, 19, was violently attacked in broad daylight on a Chicago train, as her fellow passengers ignored her pleas for help. Hughes says she got onto the CTA Blue Line at around 10 a.m. on Thursday morning to ride home. However, after the majority of the passengers exited at the UIC Halstead stop, she knew something was wrong when a man moved to the seat directly in front of her. After moving seats, the man demanded Hughes’ phone and began beating her with the help of another female passenger. The woman says she was screaming out for help from the other passengers on the train but her pleas were ignored as the other passengers didn’t want to get involved in the altercation.
WGNTV reports that 19-year-old Jessica Hughes was brutally assaulted on a Chicago train as the other train passengers looked on and did nothing. Hughes says the incident occurred as she rode the CTA Blue Line back to her home in Berwyn. The young woman, riding the train alone, was listening to music on her headphones when a large group of passengers exited the train at the UIC Halstead stop. Following the exit of the passengers, Hughes says a man on the train seated himself directly in front of her.
The teen says that the man demanded her cellphone which was located in her pocket before pushing her to the ground and beating her head repeatedly. She notes that during the attack, a woman, who had previously been sitting with the man, joined in and punched her in the face, breaking her nose.
“He grabs me, pushes me to the floor and starts beating on my head repeatedly. He kept beating on me. I’m yelling help to the other people and no one came.”
While the horrifying beating took place, the few other passengers on the train did nothing. Jessica says she cried out for help, but no one came to her aid.
“They just watched,” she said. “I feel like people just don’t want to get involved.”
Jessica’s father, Richard Amador, says that his daughter could have been killed in the train attack and says he can’t believe no one jumped in to aid her as she was beaten by two assailants. He says that he would absolutely jump in if he saw another human in such a horrific situation. He called the other passengers’ inaction “shameful.”
“It’s just shameful, like she said. Definitely, I would jump in and help, no matter what the consequences, because it’s another human being.”
Following the horrific beating, Jessica suffered a broken nose, black eye and teeth marks on her hand. She reported the assault to authorities who are investigating the case. The young woman says that the CTA cameras on the Blue Line captured images of the suspects and she hopes police will be able to use the footage to “get the people that did this to me.” Police note that they are investigating the incident and the CTA says they are working closely with the detectives on this case. CTA went on to tout their safety record noting that serious crime on trains is “very rare.”
“CTA continues to work closely with CPD as they investigate the matter, which includes reviewing and providing them with any video surveillance footage.
Overall, serious crime is very rare on CTA trains and buses, averaging seven incidents for every 10 million rides in 2015.”
Photographs of the suspects have since been released by authorities. Anyone with information about the suspects is asked to call Area North Bureau of detectives at 312-744-8263.
Does it surprise you that train passengers stood by and did nothing when Jessica Hughes was beaten?
[Image via Chicago Police Department/ Area North Bureau]
