Habitual Criminal With Jail For An Address Dies In Custody On Her Birthday
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A woman with an extensive criminal history died on her birthday Sunday while in the custody of the Cook County Sheriff's Department after being arrested for shoplifting.
Wathena Young, whose home address was listed as the Cook County Jail in the 2600 block of South California Ave., was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital at 9:17 p.m. Sunday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
An autopsy Monday determined Young died from a pulmonary embolism and obesity, the medical examiner's office said. Her death, which occurred on her 48th birthday, was ruled natural.
Young was arrested 6:30 p.m. Aug. 8 after video surveillance captured her stealing four watches, totaling $80, at the Sears store at 6153 S. Western Ave., sheriff's office spokesman Frank Bilecki said.
A crack pipe was found in her purse and Young also had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear on a damage-to-property charge in Oak Park, Bilecki said.
Young had been arrested 59 times, resulting in 11 convictions for theft, prostitution and drug use, Bilecki said. She has also given police 18 different names, 12 dates of births and three Social Security numbers.
She was admitted Thursday to Holy Cross Hospital and discharged on Sunday, Bilecki said. While being transported to Cook County Jail, she became unresponsive in the back seat of the police vehicle when officers arrived at the guard post of the jail.
She was taken to Cermak Hospital at the jail before being transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she died, Bilecki said.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
