A Southern California grandmother remains hospitalized with traumatic injuries after a man allegedly beat her with a metal baseball bat and stole her belongings.
Therese Garcia, 71, welcomed the suspect, Erik Eduardo Navarro, 26, of Orange County, into her Crestline home after spotting him walking through her neighborhood.
During their conversation, he shared a “heartbreaking” story about having all his belongings stolen while camping nearby.
Known by her loved ones as a kind-hearted and generous woman who enjoyed helping others, Therese sympathized with his situation and agreed to let Navarro temporarily stay in her home.
She cared for him and prepared meals for him every night. The woman’s daughter, Abbie Garcia, said her mother saw the man as a “sweet kid” who had fallen on hard times and simply needed someone’s help.
After staying at the home for six days, Navarro reportedly started making demands and gradually took control of the house. Therese eventually told him it was time for him to leave.
Later that night, he allegedly waited until she fell asleep on the couch before grabbing a metal baseball bat and brutally attacking her.
During the vicious assault, Therese lost consciousness. Each time she regained consciousness, Navarro allegedly continued beating her until she blacked out again. Abbie said the horrifying cycle went on for hours until he believed Therese was dead.
He then allegedly stole her phone, credit cards, keys, e-bike and other belongings before fleeing the home. On Aug. 25, Therese’s neighbors contacted authorities to request a welfare check on her.
When deputies entered the home, they found Therese suffering from severe head and facial injuries, a traumatic brain injury, broken bones and serious injuries to her eyes, arm and hand.
“If it weren’t for the neighbors calling the police, my mother would have bled to death alone in her home,” Abbie said.
Therese has remained hospitalized since the attack. While she is stable, Abbie said her mother continues to experience immense pain and struggles with the effects of her brain injury.
“She suffered other internal injuries and spent days vomiting blood,” Abbie wrote on a GoFundMe to help her mother. “She may need facial surgery once the swelling goes down. We don’t yet know what her recovery will look like or how much care she will need once she leaves the hospital. Now she faces a long road to recovery without health insurance.”
Navarro remains at large and is wanted by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities released a photograph of Navarro and are asking the public for help locating him.
Abbie said she hopes authorities find the suspect soon before he can target another victim.
“My mom didn’t deserve this,” Abbie said. “She was simply trying to help someone she believed was in need, something she has always done throughout her life. This time, her kindness was met with unimaginable violence.”
Anyone with information about the investigation or Navarro’s whereabouts is urged to contact SBSD’s Twin Peaks Station at 909-336-0660.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted to We-Tip by calling 844-909-3006, texting “REPORT” to 844-909-3006 or online at wetip.com.
A GoFundMe page to help Therese cover her medical expenses can be found here.