STORY YOUMISSED
Bethany MaGee has officially been discharged from Stroger Hospital.
The news comes months after a brutal attack that shocked the city of Chicago.
MaGee was riding a CTA Blue Line train in the Loop when the incident occurred.
On Thursday, she released a formal statement confirming her milestone recovery.
She expressed deep gratitude toward the burn team at Cook County Health.
MaGee noted that the discharge marks an “important step” in her healing journey.
The survivor thanked the public for the kindness and encouragement shown during her stay.
She also requested continued privacy as she transitions back to her daily life.
The attack took place in November when MaGee was set on fire while on the train.
Lawrence Reed, the man accused of the attack, currently faces state and federal charges.
Recent History
The attack on the Blue Line is part of a troubling trend regarding CTA safety.
Commuters in the Loop and West Town have reported an increase in erratic behavior on trains.
Violent incidents on the CTA have remained a central point of debate for Chicago residents.
The Blue Line, which connects O’Hare to the Loop, has seen several high-profile arrests.
Security on public transit has become a top priority for the Chicago Police Department.
City leaders are under mounting pressure to increase the presence of armed guards or transit police.
A Breakdown in Electronic Monitoring
The suspect, Lawrence Reed, has a lengthy criminal history including 72 prior arrests.
At the time of the attack, Reed was supposed to be on electronic monitoring for a separate crime.
Records show that Reed had violated his court-ordered curfew multiple times.
On the day of the attack, an alert was triggered at noon regarding a curfew violation.
Hours later, the unprovoked attack on MaGee took place on the Blue Line.
The Office of the Chief Judge is now under fire for how the monitoring program is run.
The program was recently moved from the Sheriff’s Office to the Chief Judge’s oversight.
Political Fallout Over Public Safety
The case has drawn national attention, including comments from President Donald Trump.
The President criticized Chicago’s “liberal judges” for the repeated release of violent offenders.
Governor JB Pritzker defended the SAFE-T Act following the incident.
Pritzker stated the law gives judges the power to keep dangerous people behind bars.
However, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office claims a judge denied their request to detain Reed previously.
Teamsters Local 700 is now calling for the monitoring program to be returned to the Sheriff’s Office.
They argue the current administration is not equipped to handle high-risk individuals.
As Bethany MaGee begins her long road to recovery, the city continues to debate how to prevent such tragedies.
