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Mary "Teresa" McTaggart died Thursday, Oct. 19, as she walked along Main Street at Mountain Avenue in Malden around 1:15 p.m. when she was struck in a chain-reaction crash, the Middlesex County District Attorney said.
An initial investigation found that a BMW SUV was driving south on Main Street when it crashed into a vehicle at a stop light, went off the roadway, and hit two telephone poles before crashing into McTaggart, the prosecutor's office said.
McTaggart's family said she was returning home from Stop and Shop with her groceries when she was hit.
Police have not released the driver's information or charged them with anything. They remained at the crash site and cooperated with investigators, authorities said. The crash remains under investigation.
A GoFundMe created to help pay for Mary McTaggart's funeral said she had lived a difficult life but had an "infectious laugh and a kind heart." She was born with a developmental disorder and required a lot of help from family, friends, and the government.
Mary "Teresa" McTaggart had struggled for many years but recently received some good news when she learned that a public assistance apartment would be available for her soon.
Our family loved Teresa and we miss her very much. We mourn our loved one but celebrate her for the lovely, sweet woman she was! My hope was that Teresa would be happy in a new home and I could hear her laughter for many years to come — but on Thursday that hope vanished.
Her family said that despite her disabilities, she was largely self-sufficient and would often walk to get her groceries or medications.
The GoFundMe has raised more than $5,000 of its $10,000 goal.
Click here for more information on the GoFundMe.
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