Criminal Justice
The victim of the attack, Jen Angel, owns a bakery in Downtown Oakland called Angel Cakes. | Google Maps
The owner of Oakland's Angel Cakes bakery, Jen Angel, is fighting for her life after a Monday robbery saw her hospitalized in a critical condition.
Angel's close friends told The Oaklandside it may take days to find out if she will recover from a head injury she sustained after trying to retrieve her stolen belongings. She was robbed while sitting inside a car.
As of Wednesday, Angel was said to be in a medically induced coma at Highland Hospital's trauma unit, according to The Oaklandside.
Angel's clothes were allegedly caught in the suspects' car door after being robbed and "dragged more than 50 feet before falling free in the middle of the street," police told the San Jose Mercury News in a published a crime brief.
"Jen was initially stable when she reached the hospital, but her brain swelling increased to the point where she was rushed to emergency surgery several hours after the incident," the post read. "The surgeon told us that she was unable to alleviate the swelling, and at this point it seems unlikely that Jen will regain consciousness or full functioning. She is currently on life support, and there may be no clarity about her prognosis for several days."
Moira Birss, a friend of Angel's, organized a GoFundMe and wrote that proceeds will go toward the baker's medical care and financial support for her loved ones and bakery. Angel's family and friends have been contacted for comment.
Staff at the bakery said the business would likely remain open for the rest of the week.
Angel has been making cupcakes since 2008, and in 2016, she opened her eponymous bakeshop at 745 Fifth St. in a historic Oakland building that was once home to a Creole restaurant and tea garden called TJ's Gingerbread House.
Oakland Police Department said the investigation is ongoing, and the Mercury News reported that, “Investigators believe the suspects are responsible for several similar robberies and vehicle break-ins in the city.”
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $7,500 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the suspects. Anyone with information may call police at (510) 238-3326 or Crime Stoppers at (510) 777-8572.
Sarah Holtz can be reached at [email protected]
