Children hide as mother attacked at Aldinga Beach, man arrested over home invasion

A girl has told how she hid with her sisters as their mum was attacked in their beachside suburb home.

A teenage girl has hid in the bathroom with her younger sisters and grabbed a knife for protection during a terrifying home invasion at Aldinga Beach.

Police will allege a man entered a Lovelock Street home through an unlocked rear door and assaulted a woman at 9pm on Saturday.

The woman’s 14-year-old daughter said her mum calmly told her to take her two sisters, aged 8 and 5, and lock themselves in the bathroom.

“I got a knife and my phone, just in case, and I called triple-0,” the teenager said on Sunday. Still extremely shaken by the incident, the girl said it happened very quickly.

Police will allege the intruder bit the 35-year-old woman on the cheek, punched her in the head and bit her again on the forearm. She managed to fight the man off and he fled the property.

A 21-year-old Aldinga Beach man was arrested shortly after on nearby Follett Street. He was charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass and aggravated assault causing harm.

He was refused bail and will appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court today.

The woman was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to the Flinders Medical Centre, where she will undergo surgery for facial injuries.

Lovelock Street resident Chris Bauer found the window of his Holden had been smashed overnight.

He said the ordeal would have left the family extremely shaken.

“I feel bad for them,” Mr Bauer said. “The three little girls locked themselves in the bathroom and that’s going to traumatise them for a long time.”

Mr Bauer said he did not hear any screams otherwise he would have helped the woman.

“She’s probably going to be scared to be alone now,” he said.

Another nearby resident woke to find their car window smashed. Police are investigating links from both property damage reports to the home invasion.

Residents Samantha and David Harris did not hear the incident but noticed police cars in the street.

“I’m disgusted, actually. I feel very sorry for her,” Ms Harris said upon hearing what happened.

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said she did not hear the incident but was in shock.

“I’m pleased to hear she’s OK … she’s a strong woman, that’s for sure,” she said.

Police are investigating the motive behind the attack.

It follows a terrifying home invasion at Wynn Vale last month, where a man woke to find an intruder in his bedroom threatening him with a gardening rake.

The man woke about 2.30am on Friday, January 21, to an intruder switching on his bedroom light.

Anyone with information in relation to the Aldinga Beach incident should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.