Geraldine Beardy, 29, died Sept. 18 after lapsing into a coma. (CBC)A 61-year-old Winnipeg store owner is facing a charge of aggravated assault after the death of a 29-year-old woman caught trying to steal a can of luncheon meat from his convenience store.

Police allege Geraldine Beardy was confronted by the owner of Okay Groceries on Sherbrook Street in Winnipeg as she was trying to steal the food item, worth $1.49, on Sept. 13.

She was assaulted before she fled to a nearby residence, police said.

Police were notified of the assault on Sept. 15, and Beardy died Sept. 18.

Beardy's mother, Louise Keno, told CBC News on Monday that her daughter had been hit with a bat at Okay Groceries and later lapsed into a coma.

The mother of three was taken off life support on Friday, Keno said.

Louise Keno, right, is comforted by one of her daughters as she talks about the death of her daughter Geraldine Beardy. (CBC)Winnipeg police have not said how the woman was assaulted or whether a weapon was used. Nor have they released the name of the store owner.

CBC News spoke on Monday to a man who identified himself as the owner, and he confirmed the attempted theft but said he had asked Beardy to leave and didn't know what happened to her after that. He did not provide his name.

Police said the charge against the store owner is assault rather than manslaughter because Beardy's death, nearly a week after the alleged assault, has not been conclusively linked to the injuries she sustained in the assault.

"We don't know where victim attended, who she had contact with. For us to assume that the injuries she sustained were caused by the 61-year-old male would be large assumption on our part," said police spokesperson Const. Jason Michalyshen.

However, a link between the assault and Beardy's death is still being investigated, police said.

Keno said Beardy, who is from Garden Hill First Nation, about 600 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, was ill and needed to be in Winnipeg for medical treatment. She did not have a fixed address in the city but had been living there since June.

Her family is making funeral arrangements and hopes to take Beardy's body back to Garden Hill this week.

The investigation into the death is being carried out by members of the homicide unit. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact investigators at 986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 786-TIPS (8477).