Who was Stephanie Quinones? NYC mom who collapsed while celebrating 35th birthday dies inside illegal club
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: In a shocking turn of events, a Jackson Heights woman, who was partying inside an illegal nightclub in Queens died after she collapsed.
Stephani Quinones' family claimed she was dragged to a back room by the club workers where she was left without medication until she died.
Who was Stephanie Quinones?
According to disturbing footage reviewed by the New York Post, bystanders were seen slapping the victim's face as they appeared to revive her before she was shifted to the back room from the dance floor at the unnamed nightspot.
On July 31, Quinones was celebrating her 35th birthday at the nightclub which does not have a liquor license, according to the State Liquor Authority.
The bartender at the club on 49th Street situated in Astoria sent a picture of seemingly unconscious Quinones to her mother living in Florida.
Instead of calling 911, the bartender then began texting the victim's sister, Jasmine Gonzalez. "Come get your drunk sister," read the message as claimed by Gonzalez who lives in the Bronx.
Gonzalez who was unaware of how horrible the situation was reached the place two hours later and dialed 911. However, the club workers left the place and locked Gonzalez inside the club where she found Quinones dead.
"I was doing compressions on a dead person. Everyone left me alone. No one even had the decency to stay," said Gonzalez.
Workers locked the NYC club doors leaving Quinones and Gonzalez inside
Before the first responders arrived, the club employees locked the door. "They all left because they did not want to be the one there when the cops got called," said Gonzalez.
The paramedics then transported the victim to Mt. Sinai Hospital. According to the NYPD, authorities investigated a person who was declared dead after their arrival at the club location on the same night. However, they did not identify the victim by her name.
"Someone would still have their mother if they just called 911. The thing that hurts me the most is, not only did they not call 911, but it was cruel to have me go over there, giving me hopes that she was alive," said Gonzalez.
Quinones' family has set up a GoFundMe campaign
Following Quinones' death, her family set up a GoFundMe campaign which has raised nearly $25,000 as of Saturday morning, August 13.
The victim's family and friends shared that they found social media clips that showed Quinones lifeless on the club's dance floor.
"These Instagrammers are circulating all this s**t. They’re all taking video, so they do everything but call 911," said family friend and activist Talea Wufka.
Gonzalez suggested that Quinones' was already dead when the video was captured. "She didn’t have any reaction at all [in the video]. Usually, people have a reaction," she said.