Elderly woman beaten, robbed inside home
Published 12:00 am Sunday, August 7, 2016
GRANTVILLE — An elderly woman was recovering this weekend after she was beaten, set on fire and robbed inside her home in the 7700 block of Forrest Road in Meriwether County.
The incident happened about 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to the Meriwether County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim told investigators she was asleep when at least four people broke into her home. One of the assailants woke the woman and beat her, she said. The others began ransacking the house.
Investigators believe the intruders were looking for a relative of the woman who was not there.
The intruders left, but one soon returned and poured a flammable liquid on the elderly woman and set it on fire, the victim told investigators. She managed to put out the flames and called 911.
The victim suffered multiple lacerations and several broken bones, said the Meriwether County Sheriff’s Office. She was airlifted to an Atlanta hospital for treatment.
Sheriff’s officials called in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to help process the crime scene and assist with the case.
The investigators have developed “persons of interest” in the case and are looking for two or three African-American males and one African-American female, stated Sheriff Chuck Smith.
The suspects face charges of aggravated battery, robbery, aggravated assault and burglary when they are arrested, a police report states.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Meriwether County Sheriff’s Office at 706-672-4489 or the GBI at 404-244-2600, or 1-800-282-8746. Callers can remain anonymous.