*“The lack of accessibility in our subways is literally killing people,” wrote NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson on Twitter Tuesday, following the tragic death of a young mother who tumbled down a flight of stairs at a Manhattan subway station Monday night.
According to multiple reports, Malaysia Goodson, 22, was carrying her baby daughter and a stroller when she fell on the platform at the 7th Avenue/53rd Street station in Midtown, a spokesman for the New York Police Department tells PEOPLE.
When officers responded to the scene, they found Goodson “unconscious and unresponsive.” Her 1-year-old Rhylee was found alive.
Goodson, who worked at a daycare center, was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
“I’m just still trying to take it all in,” Malaysia’s mother Tamika Goodson told the New York Post. “I’m trying to see if I’m dreaming. I’m in disbelief.”
Goodson’s mother revealed to the outlet that her daughter suffered from a medical condition, which could have contributed to the fall. “She had thyroid [issues] — I don’t know, maybe she was starting to feel faint,” Tamika told the Post.
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Police say Malaysia Goodson plunged down a flight of stairs in the midtown Manhattan train station, holding a stroller with her 1-year-old daughter inside. Remarkably, the baby was not hurt.https://t.co/d9GSA8iGAF
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) January 30, 2019
Goodson’s brother has also expressed his grief.
“She was very protective,” Dieshe Goodson, 23, told ABC 7. “I’m going to be honest, I don’t know what to do. She was my best friend.”
The MTA issued a statement regarding Goodson’s death.
“This is an absolutely heartbreaking incident. While the ultimate cause of the event is being investigated by the MTA, medical examiner, and the NYPD, we know how important it is to improve accessibility in our system.”
“The Fast Forward Plan acknowledges and prioritizes this work as one of four key priorities, and aims to ensure that riders will never be more than two stops away from a station with an elevator,” the statement continued.
“This will be accomplished through the addition of up to 50 elevators over the next five years. We believe this is an important issue of practicality and equality, and once accomplished, riders will never be more than two stops away from a station with an elevator,” the statement concluded.
Many New Yorkers have taken to social media to express sorrow and outrage because what happened to Goodson could happen to anyone.
“Malaysia Goodson died last night for lack of an elevator. The illegal inaccessibility of New York City’s subways under @NYGovCuomo and @NYCMayor is a national disgrace,” wrote one Twitter user.
Another said, “Something needs to be done asap. My life was so hard on NYC subways when my now 5 year old was a baby. I rarely saw elevators on my travels. Shame on MTA. My heart breaks for her baby and family.”
“I’ve seen too many people, mostly women, struggle with babies on the subway station stairs. It’s ridiculous & unacceptable,” another user tweeted.
New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson also addressed the incident on Twitter: “The lack of accessibility in our subways is literally killing people. I am heartbroken by this tragedy, and am keeping this family in my thoughts. NYC must do more for families and the disabled,” he wrote.
Goodson’s family has since created a GoFundMe in hopes of raising money for baby Rhylee.
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