Girl, 15, who chased iPhone thief dies

A 15-year-old Southern California girl died from her injuries two days after she jumped onto the speeding car of a robber who snatched her iPhone.

Rubi Rubio briefly held onto the boot of the car before falling off and hitting her head in Santa Ana, Police Corporal Anthony Bertagna told the Orange County Register.

“According to witnesses, the vehicle was swerving in an attempt to get her off,” Bertagna said.

Rubio, a student at Godinez Fundamental High School, died from her injuries while surrounded by her family at a hospital, the newspaper said.

“She opened her eyes, looked at me for like five seconds and said, ‘Mom’,” Marisol Hernandez told reporters through tears as she talked about seeing her daughter at the hospital. “That was the last word I heard from her.”

Investigators said the man took the phone from the teen while she was walking her seven-year-old sister home from school. He ran to the car, which was driven by another person, with Rubio giving chase.

The iPhone was later found by a resident not far from the scene of the robbery.

Bertagna described the vehicle as a light grey or silver Pontiac.

Police asked anyone with information about the robbery to make contact.