Broward Sheriffs Office

Disabled Woman Robbed, Attacked, Pet Kittens Killed in Deerfield Beach: BSO

A disabled Deerfield Beach woman endured a horrific attack Thursday by masked intruders who cut her with shards of glass, stole her medication and killed two of her pet kittens, Broward Sheriff's Office deputies say.

The 61-year-old victim, who has difficulty walking and gets around with the assistance of a walker, was alone Thursday afternoon in her home in a private subdivision in the 1200 block of Southwest 46th Avenue in Deerfield Beach.

Police say two masked men entered her house through a sliding door between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and demanded jewelry and credit cards. They even threatened to kill her pets if she didn't comply, and offered the heartbreaking proof by holding up two of her kittens they had killed outside, police say.

"The suspects killed the cats before they came in and showed her the dead cats and told her 'we will kill the rest of the animals in the house and we will harm you is you do not cooperate,'" BSO Det. Vince Coldwell said.

The woman told police that the men became aggressive once she explained that she didn't have much to steal.

She says the men threw her down, and she landed on a table and hit the floor.

Police say the men ransacked her house, and used shards of glass to cut her face, arm and abdomen while demanding her valuables.

The woman told police that her house dress fell open during the violent attack, and that the men spray painted on her body.

The men didn't make off with much - just a small safe holding the woman's medication, as well as the two dead kittens in a paper bag.

She told police that the attack lasted anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes, and that two of the men were in the house while a third waited outside.

Neighbor Gary Williams found her beaten and laying outside her home.

"That's disgusting, whoever did this, they're sick is the only way I can describe it," Williams said. "I saw cuts on her arm and abrasions on her face and she goes 'we were robbed,' I'm like 'oh my God.' I immediately called 911."

The victim was taken to North Broward Health Medical Center Thursday to be treated for superficial cuts and bruises. She was released, but returned to the hospital Friday for additional treatment.

The attack is the talk of gated community. Somehow the suspects breached the security gate. Resident Michael Costabile has been complaining about the pedestrian gates being broken.

"I'm not too thrilled about that right now, I know they have been broken for a while, they have zero security, zero locks or anything on them at the moment," he said.

BSO has not said how the attackers got into the complex. Detectives passed out flyers in the area hoping somebody saw something.

"It's these type of people especially at a young age, it is very scary, we need to take them off the street," Det. Coldwell said.

Police describe one of the suspects as a short, white male who spoke proper English. He was wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt. The other suspect is being described as a taller male who spoke with a noticeable Spanish accent and wore a black, hooded sweatshirt.

No description was immediately available for the third suspect.

The men appeared to be in their late teens or early 20's, and were wearing Halloween masks and gloves.

Anyone with information should contact Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.

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