Andrea Brown / Photo from Chicago Police
BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times
A woman with a history of mental illness allegedly smothered a rival to death with her body after the two fought over money over the weekend.
Andrea Brown, who at 5-foot-3 and 235 pounds, is at least twice as big as her victim, authorities said.
Brown, 23, believed Tamica Riley owed her money and took Riley’s shoes as they argued Sunday in the 800 block of South California Avenue, prosecutors said.
Brown said she wouldn’t give 37-year-old Riley her shoes back until she paid the money she owed, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Elizabeth Novy said.
Brown then allegedly proceeded to knock Riley to the ground. Brown continued, placing her arm over Riley’s neck, Novy said. She then put her body over Riley’s face, preventing Riley from breathing, Novy said.
Brown had “pinned” Riley to the stairway, a police report said.
Witnesses who saw the struggle yelled and asked Brown to stop, Novy said.
Brown, who ran away from the scene, was arrested on the sidewalk in the 3100 block of West Polk Street, the police report said.
Brown takes anti-psychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, an assistant public defender said.
She was ordered held in lieu of $2 million bond for Riley’s murder.
Brown, who lists her address as the Howard Brown Health Center on Sheridan Road, has a previous drug conviction.
She also was found delinquent as a juvenile for aggravated battery to a police officer, Novy said.