Partially blind woman suffers brain death after attack in Los Angeles – NBC Los Angeles

An East Los Angeles family is demanding justice after a partially blind woman was attacked and left brain dead.

“She is my life, she is my love, she is always with me, what should I do now,” said Jose Rangel Hernandez, the victim’s husband.

Rangel Hernandez said doctors told him that his wife of 30 years no longer had brain activity.

Maria Guadelupe Vargas, who was partially blind, fell and hit her head. Rangel Hernandez said she tried to help him while he was being attacked by a homeless man.

“When the guy comes to me, I don’t want any trouble, so I say ‘No English’ and he starts hitting me because he doesn’t say English. He starts hitting me three, four times,” Rangel Hernandez said.

The attack occurred around 10:30 a.m. on March 9. Rangel Hernandez said he was in the driveway to the McDonald’s on Soto Street when the homeless man began punching him through his open window.

Rangel Hernandez said he got out of the car to defend himself. Surveillance footage showed Vargas slowly moving toward the two men and attempting to help her husband.

“The man pushed her with his body, made her fall and she hit her head because it caused her to have a heart attack,” said Veronica Rangel, the victim’s stepdaughter.

Vargas was hospitalized and released after a week. However, as her health continued to deteriorate, she was readmitted. Today the doctors told the family the terrible news.

“This was his forever partner, someone he wanted to spend a lot more time with,” said William Cantabrana, the victim’s grandson.

The family is devastated but also angry. They said police initially did not want to arrest the man, and when he was finally taken into custody, they said he was charged with a misdemeanor.

“And the guy is free, they catch him and let him go. “He does something else wrong, catches him and lets him go,” Rangel Hernandez said.

They want more action taken to prevent something like this from happening again.

“We ask the prosecutor’s office to review the matter again or for the third time, whatever that may be,” said Moises Castillo, a lawyer for the family.

“I want what my whole family wants: justice, so it’s not just a waste of life,” Cantabrana said.