A suburban Rochester woman who was raped and gave birth to a child while in a comatose state has died, according to a newspaper report.

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported in today's editions that the 30-year-old woman, known only as Kathy, died within the past few days at an undisclosed health care center. The family apparently withheld news of her death in order to have a private funeral. News of her death comes just two weeks before the sentencing of her convicted attacker, John Horace.

A State Supreme Court jury found Mr. Horace guilty of raping and sexually abusing the woman in August 1995 at a Brighton nursing home where he worked as a certified nursing assistant. He faces up to 25 years in prison at his March 27 sentencing.

The cause of the woman's death was not disclosed, but medical experts said comatose patients frequently succumb to opportunistic infections that their weakened bodies can no longer fight.