Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Young Woman Killed By 4 Train Was Exhausted & "Fumbling For Her iPod"
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 14, 2014
Modified Jul 14, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 14, 2014
Modified Jul 14, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A woman fatally killed by a southbound 4 train on Saturday afternoon was "fumbling for her iPod" when she tumbled onto the tracks at Union Square, an NYPD spokesperson said. Witnesses told the NYPD that the woman, 21-year-old Aracelis Ayuso, was very close to the edge of the platform and was in the midst of removing her iPod when she slipped and fell at approximately 3:15 p.m.
Yesterday, the MTA said witnesses believed Ayuso, who worked at a bakery in Chelsea, may have been intoxicated, but the NYPD now says her death "had nothing to do with intoxication."
Yeovany Rivero, Ayuso's boyfriend and father of their 3-year-old daughter, rushed to Union Square after hearing the news. He tells the Post, "She wakes up at the crack of dawn to support our daughter. She was exhausted and coming home from work. Witness[es] told me she looked really tired. They just kept saying she looked tired and she just kind of fell forward off the platform."
Tagged
Aracelis Ayuso
subway
union square
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
How NY Gov. Hochul, Bruce Blakeman would tackle rising electric, heat bills
The latest part of our New York State of Unaffordability podcast looks at the candidates’ stances on utility costs.
By
Jon Campbell
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 10:39 a.m. ET
Early Addition: Some NYC workers got up extremely early to commute from the Poconos
Because more city workers are living out there because it's affordable, here are your early links: Santacon returning under new management, New Jersey kids are learning cursive and loving it, Forest Hills Stadium cutting back and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: Some NYC workers got up extremely early to commute from the Poconos
Because more city workers are living out there because it's affordable, here are your early links: Santacon returning under new management, New Jersey kids are learning cursive and loving it, Forest Hills Stadium cutting back and more.
By
James Ramsay
Mamdani-backed housing bill will give nonprofits head start on buying NYC apartments
By
David Brand
Fatal motorcycle crash on George Washington Bridge disrupts morning commute
By
Michael Sol Warren
Ballot questions ask NYC voters whether to cut red tape on outdoor dining, bike lanes
By
Walter Wuthmann
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .