NEW YORK — A Long Island, New York, woman is facing manslaughter charges in connection with a March 10 assault on a Manhattan street that left an 87-year-old renowned voice coach dead.
A Long Island woman today surrendered to police and is expected to face a manslaughter charge in the shoving death of vocal coach Barbara Maier Gustern. https://t.co/Wy3ntykdDD
— Michael Paulson (@MichaelPaulson) March 22, 2022
Lauren Pazienza, 26, surrendered to police Tuesday in the death of Barbara Gustern, a longtime vocal coach, who had worked with stars such as Debbie Harry, lead singer of the punk rock band Blondie, and the cast of the 2019 Broadway revival of the musical “Oklahoma!,” The New York Times reported.
According to WCBS-TV, Gustern had been waiting for a cab in the Chelsea neighborhood, not far from her apartment, when she was shoved from behind to the pavement, struck her head, was hospitalized and died five days later from her injuries.
A law enforcement official confirmed to the Times that Pazienza, who was accompanied by an attorney when she surrendered to authorities, did not provide a statement to investigators, and a motive for the assault has not yet been determined.
Pazienza’s arrest followed a dayslong search by New York City police, who posted photos and surveillance video of the attacker after Gustern’s death, the newspaper reported.
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