An 86-year-old woman was badly beaten inside her apartment in Northeast Philadelphia overnight.
Police tell NBC10 that Yevdokiya Rulevskaya woke up to find a man in her bedroom.
She started screaming and he began beating her. Rulevskaya lives in the Meadowview Apartments on Algon Avenue in Rhawnhurst.
Police say the intruder probably walked right in Rulevskaya's front door, which she often left open after an emergency crew had a hard time once getting inside. Apparently Rulevskaya felt safe enough because the doors to the complex are locked.
Rulevskaya was beaten so badly her right eyesocket was broken. She had stitches on the side of her face and her forehead.
Initially, the victim's family thought she'd pressed the button on her life alert bracelet before she passed out and that's why paramedics showed up. Police say there's no evidence that happened. They think neighbors called for help after hearing her screams.
"Hope the police will catch this animal," Rulevskaya's granddaughter told us in an email.
Rulevskaya, who only speaks Russian, was taken to the hospital where she told investigators in broken English that her attacker had a dark complexion and stocky build.
Police tell NBC10 the attacker went through all of the victim's cabinets. Police are speculating that he may have been looking for her medications.
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