26/04/2010

Student Critical After Brutal US Mugging

A student from Dublin's UCD is critically ill in hospital in Chicago after being brutally mugged on Friday.

The victim, 23-year-old Natasha McShane, is from Silverbridge in Co Armagh was attacked while on her way home from a night out along with her friend Stacy Jurich (24) in the Bucktown area of the US city.

During the incident, a robber wielding a bat struck the pair then stole their purses around 3.30am.

Her parents have travelled to the US to be with their daughter.

No description was available on Sunday, and no one was in custody, police said.

She remains in critical condition at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, while her friend Stacy remains in serious condition at the same hospital, a spokeswoman said.

The family said Natasha had underwent a procedure to reduce pressure to her brain, but the full extent of her injuries or not yet known.

Chicago Police have described the incident as "sick".

The area is well known to police and is believed to be regularly subjected to robberies "every few weeks".

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was providing assistance to the family through its consulate in Chicago.

(DW/BMcC)

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