Turramurra assault: 84yo woman attacked in aged care home
The daughter of an 84-year-old left battered and bleeding after a callous assault inside her retirement home has told of her sickening injuries as she appealed for help hunting her attacker.
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A great grandmother battered in her own home was left with a fractured nose, bleeding to her brain and multiple cuts and bruises to her face, chest and arm.
The shocking injuries suffered by the 84-year-old were revealed on Wednesday morning as her family launched an appeal to find her attacker.
Patricia - her family chose not to give her surname for safety reasons - remains in Sydney Adventist Hospital having undergone surgery on Sunday.
She was attacked by a male intruder shortly after arriving home to her North Turramurra retirement village around lunchtime on Saturday, November 16.
Her daughter Caroline said her mother, who has lived in Turramurra and St Ives for most of her life, had been a resident of the home for six weeks.
“She just can’t believe this has happened and she feels extremely violated – your home is supposed to be your safe place,” Caroline said.
“My father died in April so she’s still in the process of grieving and now she has to grieve the loss of her independence, her safety and her security in a home she had just moved into.
“This should never happen to the most vulnerable of vulnerable in our community and as a family we are absolutely outraged and appalled.”
Caroline described her mother as an intelligent, proud and “wonderful human being” who reads the newspaper “from front to back” each day, still drives and has a passion for playing bridge.
Along with a love for family, she also has a love for the outdoors and had just returned from a three-week family holiday in northern Europe.
“She loves being with her family – she’s a mum, a grandmother, a great-grandmother – and she just loves being the centre of our universe,” Caroline said.
“She really loves travelling and this time (two weeks ago) she was dog sledding in Lapland. My mother has always wanted to see the northern lights so we went to Finnish Lapland – we did the northern lights, a husky ride with a dog sled, reindeer farms – we did everything.”
Detectives said they want to speak with a man who was seen in the area at the time of the incident and has yet to be identified.
He is described as being aged between 30 and 50, about 175-180cm tall, possibly of Asian or Indian Sub-Continental appearance, with a medium build, brown eyes, dark hair, and clean shaven.
He was wearing light coloured pants and a jacket, over a button-up shirt and tie.
Police said the investigation into the assault has involved an extensive search of the local area along with officers speaking with residents within the retirement village.
Detectives have not released details about how the offender managed to enter the retirement village.
Caroline said family are working “closely” with managers of the complex to address security concerns.
She urged the offender or anyone with information to come forward.
“Don’t be a coward – do the right thing so our family can heal,” she said.
“Mum is a very strong lady and we will hopefully get her over this and so she can return home again.
“It’s very important that he doesn’t win or forces her out of her home and the environment where she wants to be.”
Anyone with information, including dashcam or bike cam footage, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Originally published as Turramurra assault: 84yo woman attacked in aged care home
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