Lawsuit Filed for Woman Killed by Falling Masonry in Chicago

The boyfriend of a woman killed by falling masonry has sued the landmark Chicago church from which the debris fell.

Sarah Bean was struck in the head Thursday by a piece of decorative stone outside the Second Presbyterian Church. The 34-year-old mother of two was later pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Lance Johnson filed the lawsuit Monday against the church on behalf of himself and their 9-year-old son. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, seeks at $100,000 in damages.

After the incident, Chicago Building Department spokeswoman Mimi Simon said a metal star at the top of the church’s tower fell off, removing the head of a gargoyle on the way down. The building has failed inspections in the past, but passed inspection in 2013.

The church, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1874. A church representative couldn’t be reached for comment on the lawsuit.