$53K Raised For Family Of Pregnant Mom Beaten, Ran Over

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — More than $53,000 has been raised for the family of a pregnant Libertyville woman who was beaten while trying to protect her 2-year-old son from a carjacker who ended up stealing her sports utility vehicle with the young boy still inside.

The 34-year-old woman is still recovering from the attack, which happened Thursday afternoon in the North Libertyville Estates neighborhood. She underwent surgery last week for broken bones and will now require continuous nursing care at home, physical therapy and possibly more surgeries, according to a GoFundMe set up by neighbors of the family.

The woman's unborn child will require ongoing monitoring to ensure a healthy pregnancy and delivery but was OK following the attack, which also involved the woman being run over. The woman, who is 5 month pregnant, will not be able to return to work, according to the GoFundMe.

As of Monday, two days after the GoFundMe was set up, nearly $54,000 has been raised. The funds will help pay for medical bills and day-to-day life while the mother and the family heals, according to the GoFundMe. Donations can be made here.

• Mom Beaten, Run Over As Man Steals Her SUV With Son Inside: Police

Meanwhile, no one is in custody yet in connection with the violent attack that occurred at about 3:35 p.m. Thursday in the woman's driveway in the 16000 block of Route 137 in Libertyville.

Authorities say the woman had pulled into her driveway and brought one of her children inside and was coming back to retrieve her 2-year-old son when a white BMW pulled into her driveway behind her car, according to a news release.

A man, who is described as being tall, thin and wearing a gray zip-up hooded sweatshirt and light green face mask, got out of the BMW and tried to get into the Volkswagen, according to authorities. The mom tried to protect her young son and the man then beat her, knocking her to the ground, and stealing the car with the child inside.

He and the driver of the BMW fled the area. One of the drivers ran over the woman as they fled, causing serious injuries to her extremities, according to a news release.

The mom was still able to call 911 and deputies responded immediately, police said. They searched the area and contacted Volkswagen Car-Net, which is a service that can track Volkswagen vehicles. Deputies were then able to track down the Volkswagen.

The 2-year-old boy was abandoned a short time later in a parking lot at a business in the 2200 block of Lakeside Drive in Waukegan by the suspect, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

A person at the business came to the child's aid and was able to bring him to safety before he wandered onto a nearby busy roadway, police said. The Good Samaritan called police and deputies were able to reunite the boy with his mom.

Police are still searching for the white BMW, which was stolen from a car dealership in Waukegan. It's described as a 2000s model with a black bumper and loud exhaust.

Anyone who spots the stolen BMW or has any information about this incident can contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division at 847-377-4000 or contact Lake County CrimeStoppers at www.lakecountycrimestoppers.org.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner