In a statement, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Barbara Sampson said that “While the cause of death is pending in this case, we can state that there is no significant trauma” to the body of Malaysia Goodson. “This fatality appears to be related to a pre-existing medical condition.”
Goodson, 22, died after falling Monday evening at the Seventh Avenue subway station in Manhattan. The infant daughter she was carrying was found conscious by first responders, and was ultimately uninjured. While the medical examiner did not reveal the nature of Goodson’s condition, her family said she’d previously suffered from a thyroid issue and had complained of headaches the day before.
Goodson’s death has reopened a larger conversation about the inaccessibility of New York City’s subways; of it’s 472 stations, only around a quarter are available to those unable to use stairs or escalators.
Following news of Goodson’s death, Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted: “This is a heartbreaking tragedy that never should have happened. The subway system is not accessible for everyone, and that’s an environment the MTA should not allow.”
