An elderly woman in Philadelphia is recovering after she was knocked unconscious and robbed during a home invasion in the Cobbs Creek section of the city.
"I'm shocked that it happened to me," said 91-year-old Audrey Washington. "I didn't think this would ever happen to me and I'm mad at the same time."
Washington says she was coming back from a day at a senior center when she returned to her home on the 6200 block of Carpenter Street shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday. As soon as the retired teacher stepped foot into her house, a fist suddenly struck her in the face. Two home invaders who were inside began to attack her.
"They grabbed both my hands and I had rings on," Washington said.
Despite the danger, Washington refused to go down without a fight.
"Somebody put their hand to my face and I bit the finger," she said while laughing. "That was sticking in my mouth."
While Washington can smile about it now, it was anything but a laughing matter at the time. As she continued to fight back, one of the men punched her in the face again, this time knocking her out cold.
"When I came to I was missing my rings and my fingers were hurt and I was sore," Washington said.
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Police say the two thieves stole Washington's television along with two rings, including a diamond ring her husband gave her for her birthday before he died. They then escaped through a side window and fled down an alley. Investigators say they recovered everything but the valuable diamond ring.
Washington was taken to Mercy Hospital where she was treated for minor facial injuries. Despite her ordeal and loss, Washington managed to keep a positive spirit.
"I try to keep a good spirit about everything," Washington said. "I asked the Lord to keep me for another day."
No arrests have been made at this time. Police say the suspects are two black males, both standing 5-foot-8 and between the ages of 18 and 20. One suspect was wearing a black and white shirt with brown pants while the other was wearing a long gray sweatshirt and dark pants.
If you have any information on their whereabouts, please call Philadelphia Police.
