Woman beaten to death with a baseball bat after defending teenage girls - with video

A young student teacher who stepped in to defend two teenage girls that were being harassed by men in a McDonald’s bathroom, is now dead.

AU news reports that the parents of Tugce Albayrac made the decision to turn off her life support on Friday which was also her 23rd birthday after doctors told them she was brain dead and would not regain consciousness.

The incident happened a fortnight earlier, when Tugce heard two teenage girls cry for help from the fast-food restaurant’s bathrooms in Frankfurt, Germany. She intervened when she saw a group of men troubling the girls.

Later, when Tugce was in the restaurant’s car park, one of the men from the group returned and hit her in the head with a baseball bat, knocking her into a coma. An 18-year-old man identified only as Sanel M. is being held in custody.

Police say an autopsy will be performed Monday to determine the exact cause of death. They are appealing for witnesses, including the teenage girls, to come forward.

The UK's Independent reports that Germany's president is 'seriously considering' giving the slain woman a bravery award.

“Where other people looked the other way, Tugce showed exemplary bravery and civil courage and came to the aid of a victim of violence,” President Joachim Gauck wrote in his letter to the woman's parents.

So far over 100,000 people have signed an online petition calling for the award.