Woman afraid of own shadow following toilet block attack

THIS graffiti could be the key to finding a person who strangled and bashed a woman in a toilet block.

Police are appealing for information about this graffiti in a Brunswick toilet block. Picture: Victoria Police

THIS graffiti could be the key to solving a violent attack on a woman in a toilet block.

An elderly woman was strangled in the toilet and is having constant nightmares and is even afraid of her own shadow.

Maria, who did not reveal her last name, was strangled, beaten and robbed while she was cleaning the toilet block in a carpark on Grantham Street, in Brunswick in Melbourne’s north, about 4am on November 21.

She entered the toilets and saw two young men spray painting. One grabbed her from behind and choked her, while the other demanded car keys, a mobile phone and money.

Maria did not have any of the items they requested and she was punched in the face every time they asked her to hand something over.

She was thrown to the ground and punched and kicked again. One of the offenders removed her cleaning gloves and tore sentimental jewellery from her hands and wrist.

They stole a bracelet she was given for her 50th birthday and her wedding ring.

An elderly woman was punched in the head repeatedly during a brazen attack. Picture: Victoria Police

Her husband was cleaning a centre nearby and when the offenders fled, she pulled herself off the ground and stumbled out of the toilet block.

Her husband saw blood dripping from her face and looked around for the attackers and called the police. Maria’s daughters said the attack had completely changed her.

“Our mother has always been a very independent woman, it’s why she is still working at her age. She never wanted to depend on her children for anything, she was a person who travelled everywhere, wasn’t scared driving at night or going somewhere at night,” one daughter told media on Wednesday.

“After this violent attack, she’s scared to go and take out the bins, she’s even scared within her house. This had a very traumatic impact on her life.”

Maria sustained injuries to her neck during the attack in the toilet block. Picture: Victoria Police

Her daughter said last weekend, Maria went into her bedroom and turned on the light and had a massive panic attack when she saw a shadow.

“She thought there was somebody there only to later realise it was her own,” one of her daughters said.

“It’s had a huge impact on her mental health and it’s something we are scared she might not be able to recover from.

“Our father feels guilty that he wasn’t there with her to prevent the attack, even though we say to him he perhaps would’ve been attacked as well.

“At the moment the way (our mother) is feeling, she can’t even walk out her front door.”

Maria’s daughters said their mother was reliving the attack in her nightmares and her independence had been taken away.

“To think that there could be any type of human being out there who could do this to anyone, much less an elderly woman who is defenceless. They’re cowards and it’s disgusting,” one daughter said.

“We don’t want this happening to anybody else, those sorts of people shouldn’t be out walking our streets.”

Maria’s children spoke of their fear as they got a phone call from their father at 4.30am on the morning of the attack, telling them their mother had been bashed while she was going about her job.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Is she alive?’ —We’re lucky to have her here,” one daughter said.

“Who she used to be and who she is now are very different.”

Maria was monitored for a concussion and she is unable to speak due to being strangled.

Her daughters said her vocal chords and cartilage may have been damaged.

She still has bruising on both sides of her face and on her shoulders from when she was beaten.

Senior Constable Jordan Collinson said the attack on Maria was an opportunistic one.

The toilet block where the men were tagging with graffiti when Maria found them, was usually secured but had been broke a week before and had not yet been fixed.

Sen-Constable Collinson said police were appealing to nearby businesses who may have CCTV footage of the attack.

The carpark was well lit, but the toilet block where Maria was attacked was very dark.

One man was described as having a moustache and wearing a black hoodie.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.