NYPD: 89-year-old woman burned with boiling water during Bronx home invasion
NEW YORK -- An 89-year-old Bronx woman was beaten and suffered severe burns when a suspect threw boiling water at her during a home invasion, police said Saturday.
The heartless crime happened Thursday in the Allerton section at an apartment on Boston Road. Police made an arrest on Saturday, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported.
The woman, who was hospitalized with burns all over her body, lived on the 12th floor of a building for seniors that is run by NYCHA.
"It is terrible," neighbor Sonia Seguinot said.
Seguinot saw police in the hallway on Friday morning, after a 911 call was made by one of the elderly victim's relatives who found her burned on the apartment floor.
The late Thursday afternoon home invasion turned shockingly violent after the female intruder demanded cash and proceeded to pour boiling water on the senior citizen, investigators said.
Police said the suspect left with the woman's house keys.
"Definitely she gotta be sick. I can't figure it any other way," Seguinot said.
"That could have been anybody, you know, that would've been suffering with that, like it's very terrifying," said Allerton resident Shanice Spratley.
Friday night, NYPD arrested Ebony Graham, 31, and charged her with attempted murder, robbery, assault, burglary, arson and criminal trespassing.
The victim's recovery includes treatment for burns that are described as severe, but not life-threatening.
The building's mostly elderly residents said they're afraid and want better security.
"Anybody can get in," Gilberto Morales said.
Morales showed CBS2 a broken lock at the building entrance. He and others are demanding it be fixed and they want 24-hour guards.