CARELESSLY CRUEL

NYPD Releases Photos of Woman Accused of Killing Famed Singing Coach

Barbara Maier Gustern, known for coaching Debbie Harry, was walking in the Chelsea neighborhood when she was shoved to her death.

The New York Police Department released photos of the young woman it said shoved an 87-year-old beloved singing coach to the ground, killing her. Police said Barbara Maier Gustern was walking in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood when the woman stormed down the street, pushing the woman to the side as she ran. Gustern was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where she died due to a traumatic brain injury, according to the New York Daily News. Gustern was known for having coached Blondie singer Debbie Harry and the cast of Oklahoma! “This is a disgusting and disgraceful offense committed against a vulnerable, elderly woman doing nothing but walking down the streets of New York City,” said James Essig, the NYPD’s Chief of Detectives. The woman has not been named or arrested, according to the outlet.