Indiana lady burned on Chicago practice, group prays for her restoration

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A 26-year-old lady who was set on hearth allegedly by a profession felony in Chicago is being described by pals and neighbors as a form and hardworking particular person from a close-knit, small-town household.

Bethany MaGee, the sufferer of the horrific assault, is an avid reader who took honors courses at her highschool in Indiana, a former classmate who goes by Ethan advised the New York Publish.

"She [is] extremely good. Very gentle spoken, very mild, very good," he mentioned.

An area who lives close to the household of their small, tight-knit Christian group in Upland, Indiana, mentioned the group is holding her of their ideas and prayers as she stays in important situation at a hospital burn unit following the assault on a CTA Blue Line practice on Nov. 17.

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Bethany MaGee, who was critically injured in a Nov. 17, 2025, assault aboard a Chicago L practice, holds a cat in an undated photograph. (Bethany MaGee by way of Fb)

"We simply know they're going by a tough time, so we're praying for them," one native advised the outlet.

"They’re an exquisite household… about as loving as you will be," the resident mentioned, stressing the dad and mom’ need for privateness as they course of the tragedy.

Authorities mentioned the alleged attacker, 50-year-old Lawrence Reed, has spent a long time biking by the felony justice system and was out on bond on the time of the assault.

Reed had been ordered onto digital monitoring on Aug. 22, when Cook dinner County Decide Teresa Molina-Gonzalez denied a prosecution request to maintain him jailed on felony allegations that he knocked a social employee unconscious inside MacNeal Hospital’s psychiatric ward.

Throughout that listening to, transcripts present Molina-Gonzalez advised prosecutors, "I can’t preserve everyone in jail as a result of the State’s Legal professional desires me to."

Based on court docket paperwork in that battery case, Cook dinner County digital monitoring information present Reed repeatedly violated his curfew and motion restrictions within the days main as much as the alleged Chicago Transit Authority assault on Nov. 17.

Break up of the Chicago practice assault crime scene and Lawrence Reed (Captured Information; Chicago Police Division)

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On Tuesday, the White Home weighed in on the assault on MaGee, blasting left-wing insurance policies in deep-blue cities.

"Liberal soft-on-crime insurance policies are FAILING American communities and endangering law-abiding residents," the White Home wrote on X. "A profession felony with 72 arrests ought to have by no means been free to roam the streets. Pray for Bethany."

Reed has been charged with committing a terrorist assault or violence towards a mass transportation system, in accordance with the felony grievance.

Federal prosecutors allege that Reed deliberately used gasoline and a lighter to set MaGee on hearth aboard the practice at about 9:30 p.m.

U.S. Legal professional for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros mentioned MaGee was "minding her personal enterprise and studying her telephone" whereas seated in the midst of the practice automobile when Reed approached her from behind, doused her head and physique with gasoline, and tried to ignite the liquid.

MaGee ran to the again of the automobile as he ignited the remainder of the liquid within the bottle after which used it to mild her on hearth, in accordance with the grievance.

Lawrence Reed is pictured in a courtroom sketch of his detention listening to on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (L.D. Chukman)

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MaGee’s hometown in Indiana is an enclave of fewer than 4,000 individuals and is dwelling to Taylor College. She was raised by a doting household, a neighbor mentioned.

A person who recognized himself to the Publish because the sufferer’s brother at a household dwelling Monday mentioned, "Thanks for stopping by however no feedback at the moment."