Man beaten in the Bronx dies after months in a coma
MOTT HAVEN, the Bronx — A Bronx man who’d been in a coma for months after he was beaten has died, police said Thursday.
James Smith, 52, suffered a fractured skull in the March 24 attack. He was punched, kicked and knocked to the pavement. After Smith passed out, the man who beat him and a woman who acted as a lookout left the scene on foot. No arrests have been made.
Smith was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln after that attack. Mom Margie Hatten previously told PIX11 she had a hard time seeing her son like that.
“I feel terrible, I can’t even go out there,” Hatten said. “I can’t even go up there. I don’t want to see him like that.”
Police have asked for help identifying the attacker and a woman who woman stood nearby to act as a lookout.
The man was last seen wearing a red baseball cap, a dark colored hooded sweater, dark colored sweatpants and dark colored sneakers. The woman was last seen wearing blue hooded sweater, maroon sweatpants and black and white sneakers.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting http://www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).