A 24-year-old 7-Eleven employee has died after being taken off life support following a brutal attack by her manager at a Hollywood store on June 24. Jessica McLaughlin was declared brain dead after the assault and died on July 2 at 10:34 a.m., according to her family.
The incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. at the convenience store located in the 5700 block of Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. The Los Angeles Police Department reported that McLaughlin became involved in a verbal argument with her female manager inside the store that escalated into a physical confrontation.
According to McLaughlin’s family, the manager pulled her by the hair, sat on top of her, and prevented her from breathing. Sean McLaughlin, the victim’s brother, described the attack in a GoFundMe campaign established to cover funeral expenses. He stated that while some coworkers attempted to intervene and help his sister, they were also attacked.
When McLaughlin finally broke free from her attacker, she collapsed and was not breathing. Her father, Clancey McLaughlin, told news outlets that his daughter’s brain was deprived of oxygen for more than 10 minutes. The family alleged that while coworkers performed CPR and called for help, the manager ran to the back room, attempting to delete security footage of the incident before fleeing the scene on her bicycle.
Officers responding to the battery report found McLaughlin unconscious on the store floor. She was transported to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in critical condition, where doctors later declared her brain dead due to oxygen deprivation. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed they obtained video evidence of the incident but are not releasing it to the public at this time.
After McLaughlin was taken off life support, police officially launched a homicide investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Homicide detectives from the Operations West Bureau took over the case and are reviewing the available evidence. No arrests have been made, and the suspect remains at large.
The family described McLaughlin as someone who had a way of making people feel safe, accepted, and loved. Sean McLaughlin indicated through the GoFundMe page that his sister was his rock during the five years they lived together and was always there for family members and anyone who needed her. He emphasized that “this attack should have never happened.”
The family made the difficult decision to remove McLaughlin from life support after obtaining second medical opinions and exhausting all possible treatment options. They had been hoping for a miracle but ultimately accepted that her brain had stopped functioning. McLaughlin died surrounded by her parents, boyfriend, two brothers, sister, and stepfather.
7-Eleven Inc. issued a statement expressing sympathy for those affected by the incident. The company confirmed that the suspect employee has been terminated and stated they are fully cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation. The corporation emphasized that their hearts are with those impacted during this difficult time.
The GoFundMe campaign established by McLaughlin’s family has raised over $30,000 toward their $50,000 goal to cover funeral expenses. The family stated they want to provide McLaughlin with a beautiful service that honors who she was and how deeply she was loved. They described her as having a beautiful soul who deserved much better than the way her life was taken.
The investigation remains active, with detectives continuing to search for the female manager who allegedly carried out the attack. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office is in the process of determining McLaughlin’s official cause and manner of death.
