Wife and mother of Bolton Hill carjacking victims speaks
BALTIMORE -- Nearly a month after a 77-year-old man and his son were attacked right outside their Bolton Hill home, the wife and mother of the victims are speaking out to say she wants changes done in her neighborhood.
It's something already on the minds of neighborhood leaders.
This Bolton Hill woman spoke with WJZ on the condition of anonymity. She said Jan. 7 will be a day she never forgets: it's when her husband and 22-year-old son were attacked while bringing in groceries.
Police say two black SUVs drove up to the two close to 7 p.m. and teens came out of both cars. Those teens violently beat the victims, trying to steal their car.
The suspects fled before officers arrived.
The 22-year-old only had minor injuries and was treated and released from the hospital the same day.
The 77-year-old, however, was severely injured. His wife said he had brain surgery just last Thursday.
"With surgery of that nature, his recovery will be slow. It's anticipated it'll take two-to-three months for him to recover," she said.
Her family's sense of safety for their home of nearly four years has shattered.
"That's gone, that sense of safety is gone. Our house is safe, but we give pause when we go outside now."
Like other neighbors WJZ spoke to Thursday, this woman believes more needs to be done to make things safer -- seeing a rise in crimes in Bolton Hill specifically.
"I believe the neighborhood has to get more ingenius, more creative," she said. "Perhaps create some new initiatives."
The Bolton Hill Community Association is on it. Jim Prost, who chairs BHCA's safety and security committee, said there are options being looked at.
The BHCA is also looking outside of Bolton Hill's borders, according to Prost.
"We're looking at improved lighting, cameras, and citizens on patrol -- which we do have [already]," Prost said. "We've done outreach with adjacent communities."
Whatever the solutions will be, the hope is no family will have to experiecne anything remotely similar to Jan. 7.
"What happened to my husband and my son could happen to anyone at anytime. That's no way for anyone to live or to experience," the 77-year-old victim's wife said.
Police are still investigating this attempted carjacking. The victim's wife said a donor is working to establish a reward for information through Metro Crimestoppers.
The Bolton Hill Community Association is having an open house on Tuesday, Feb. 6, where crime and safety will be discussed.
It'll run 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Baltimore Unity Hall, which is at 1505 Eutaw Place.