A young analyst for Caterpillar, who endured severe trauma after being set on fire on a Chicago metro train, is now fighting to recover from burns covering 60 percent of her body.

On Monday night, 26-year-old Bethany MaGee was attacked with gasoline and set ablaze on the city’s Blue Line. Despite the horrifying ordeal, she managed to escape the train and survive the incident.

Originally from Upland, Indiana, MaGee is a business research analyst at Caterpillar. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue’s Polytechnic Institute.

Her social media presence highlights her love for animals and her active participation in church activities. She shares a close bond with her family, including her parents, Emily and Gregory, and her two brothers, Mark and John.

Her father, Dr. Gregory MaGee, serves as a professor of Biblical studies at Taylor University, a Christian institution located in Indiana.

The man police named as her attacker, 50-year-old Lawrence Reed, is a serial criminal with 72 prior arrests freed months earlier by a judge after he allegedly attacked a social worker. 

Monday’s attack has drawn comparisons to the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22.   

That prediction now appears to have been borne out, with MaGee now seriously-ill in hospital with her family by her side. 

MaGee suffered the most serious burns on her left arm and hand, according to an update from her church community. 

She had surgery earlier this week and is expected to be in hospital for at least three months for treatment and rehabilitation.

The victim was publicly identified by Transport Secretary Sean Duffy on Sunday. He wrote in a statement, alongside a photo: ‘It is devastating that a career criminal with 72 PRIOR ARRESTS is now accused of attacking 26-year-old Bethany MaGee on Chicago’s L train, and setting her on fire. 

‘This would never have happened if this thug had been behind bars. Yet Chicago lets repeat offenders roam the streets. Chicago’s carelessness is putting the American people at risk. No one should ever have to fear for their life on the subway.’ 

Her theologian father wrote in his biography that MaGee and her family enjoy spending time with one another, ‘hiking, being involved in their church, and playing games together.’ 

MaGee’s father is also a Sunday school church teacher and has authored multiple books on Christian scriptures and teachings – including St Paul’s letters.   

MaGee’s suspected attacker Reed was released on an ankle monitor after the August assault. 

Surveillance footage showed MaGee sitting in the train car before Reed, a complete stranger, allegedly poured gasoline over her head and body.

In a horrifying chain of events, MaGee attempted to fight off her attacker while Reed allegedly tried to set her on fire.

Reed approached MaGee and repeatedly yelled ‘burn alive b***h,’ a criminal affidavit filed in federal court alleged. 

Horrified locals now believe MaGee’s ordeal could have been avoided, had a female Illinois not judge ignored a prosecutor’s warnings about Reed.  

Despite the prosecutor warning Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez that Reed had a lengthy rap sheet and his next crime would ‘likely be violent,’ she allowed him to walk free.

The Trump Administration seized on the attack and Reed being out on bail to bolster its claim that the National Guard should be deployed to Chicago.

‘As President Trump has long said, violent crime in Chicago is out of control,’  White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told the Daily Mail.

‘Local Democrat leaders, like (Illinois Governor JB) Pritzker, should spend their time addressing violent crime and welcoming the president’s help on the issue instead of succumbing to their Trump Derangement Syndrome and letting violent crime run rampant.

‘This tragic crime should have never happened and it sadly highlights the dangers of Democrat control.’   

MaGee was seen running to the front of the train car to escape before her attacker allegedly ignited the bottle in his hand, according to the affidavit.

Reed then allegedly ran to the front of the train car and watched his victim as her body was ‘engulfed in flames.’

MaGee attempted to extinguish the flames by dropping to the ground, and fled the train car when it stopped at Clark and Lake.

The victim collapsed when she arrived at the station, and multiple witnesses attended to her while she waited for emergency responders.

Her family put out a statement saying, ‘We would like to thank everyone for their prayers and well-wishes as our daughter receives care for injuries sustained earlier this week.’

‘We are also grateful for the excellent care and support of the burn team at Stroger Hospital.’

Other commuters wrote harrowing accounts of witnessing the attack on MaGee and the aftermath.

‘I was there and I took my coat off and smothered the flames with it. It was not ideal as it was synthetic fibers but it was what I had and it put the fire out,’ one wrote.

‘I had started to run inside the train when I saw her but then I snapped out of it and realized someone had to help her. 

‘There were a ton of people there but everyone was just standing around. 

‘After I got the flames out I sat with her and the other women mentioned in other comments sat by her head and talked with her which was really important.’

Another said they were at the train station that MaGee got off at moments after she escaped from her attacker.

‘Her upper body and head had severe, third-degree burns. The entire station smelled like burnt hair. It was horrific,’ they wrote.

‘What was even more saddening were the people taking videos and pictures. If you were there and one of the people doing it, well, I hope you find the humanity you were lacking in that moment. 

‘To the woman sitting with her, and comforting her, good on you. Thankfully, she was talking which is a good sign.’  

Reed was hit with a federal terrorism charge.

Investigators obtained additional security footage of Reed allegedly filling a container with gasoline at a gas station 20 minutes before the attack.

As Judge Molina-Gonzalez released Reed in August, she said: ‘I can’t keep everybody in jail because the state’s attorney wants me to’, according to court transcripts.

‘This horrific attack is EXACTLY why we need communities to take safety seriously. Blue cities cannot allow another Iryna Zarutska to happen,’ Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote on X.

In both cases, each suspect has a lengthy criminal background. 

Reed has been arrested almost 50 times and has had multiple felony convictions over the last three decades.

US Attorney Andrew Boutros confirmed on Wednesday that the latest attack Reed is accused of was completely random.

‘We’ve watched the video and different angles of the video. And what we could say is this young woman was on her phone, going through her phone, minding her business, when [Reed] approached her and began throwing gasoline on her,’ Boutros said at a press conference.

‘I’ve seen reports that there was an altercation or that there was some kind of disagreement or argument that took place. Those statements are inaccurate and false.’

Reed was arrested on Tuesday afternoon and appeared to be wearing the same clothes he was seen in on the night of the attack.

The complaint also noted that he had ‘fire-related injuries’ on his hand.

Reed is accused of setting fire to the woman around 9.24pm on Monday, which is outside of the hours he was allowed out of the house while on the ankle monitor.

In September, records show that Judge Ralph Meczyk increased the hours he was allowed out of the home, but Mondays were not included on that list.

The Daily Mail has contacted the judges and the Circuit Court of Cook County for comment.