CHICAGO, March 30 (UPI) -- A Chicago woman has died after an iPhone thief shoved her down a flight of stairs at a rapid transit station, officials said.
One woman was using her phone on the Fullerton station "El" platform during rush hour Monday afternoon when a thief grabbed it and fled, police spokesman Darryl Baety said. During his escape, the man knocked down a second woman, Sally Katona-King, 68, a Lutheran deacon who was going home from her church receptionist's job.
Katona-King died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Tuesday. The thief was still at large Tuesday night, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Officials believe Katona-King suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. An autopsy was set for Wednesday.
"To die over an iPhone? It's senseless," said her son, David King.
Katona-King's family said the iPhone's owner held her until paramedics arrived and later came to the hospital to check on her.
"She's a wonderful person," King said. "She felt responsible. It is not her fault."
Police returned to the elevated train stop Tuesday, passing out flyers and asking commuters if they had seen anything. Authorities had only a vague description of the criminal.
Police said many "willing witnesses" were cooperating with investigators, Katona-King's family told the Chicago Sun-Times.
