Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Calif. teen dies after jumping on iPhone thief’s car

iPhone Theft Death

The Orange County Register, Foster Snell / AP

Cousin Gustavo Allende, left, mother Marisol Hernandez, center, and father Pablo Rubio speak to the press about homicide victim Rubi Rubio during a press conference at the Santa Ana Police Department Tuesday, July 8, 2014, in Santa Ana, Calif.

SANTA ANA, Calif. — A 15-year-old Southern California girl died of her injuries two days after she jumped onto the speeding car of a robber who snatched her iPhone.

Rubi Rubio briefly held onto the trunk of the car before falling off and hitting her head Thursday in Santa Ana, Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told the Orange County Register .

"According to witnesses, the vehicle was swerving in an attempt to get her off," Bertagna said.

Rubio, a student at Godinez Fundamental High School, died Saturday while surrounded by her family at a hospital, the newspaper said.

"She opened her eyes, looked at me for like five seconds and said, 'Mom,'" Marisol Hernandez told reporters through tears Tuesday as she talked about seeing her daughter at the hospital. "That was the last word I heard from her."

Investigators said the man took the phone from the teen while she was walking her 7-year-old sister home from school. He ran to the car, which was driven by another person, with Rubio giving chase.

The iPhone was later found by a resident not far from the scene of the robbery.

Bertagna described the vehicle as a light gray or silver Pontiac.

Anyone with information about the robber or the driver was asked to call Santa Ana detectives.

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