Elderly Orlando woman’s life ruined after burglary, family says
By Dave McDaniel
Click here for updates on this story
ORLANDO, Florida (WESH) — An 89-year-old woman’s life was ruined after a burglary in her home in southeast Orlando, according to her family.
The victim’s son, Antonio Rey, said that a woman who referred to herself as both Jessica and Naomi was captured on security video inside the victim’s home.
“It was like watching a nightmare when we watched the video back. It was like it wasn’t real, how could this happen?” said Jacqueline Rey, the victim’s daughter-in-law.
Rey said that the woman walked up to his mother in her garage, offering lawn care and house cleaning, and the two of them took a walk. While his mother was in the backyard, out of sight, a second person came in through the same door in the garage and went all through her house until he found what he wanted, which was her safe.
“Birth certificate, will, all the paperwork of her life that is mostly irreplaceable because it’s from a foreign country, Cuba. But it also included her wedding ring which is a painful loss,” said Antonio Rey.
The video appears to show the burglar rolling the safe right out the door. The Orlando Police Department is investigating it as a burglary and grand theft.
“She can never move back into her home again, she would never feel safe there. We would never feel safe having her there. Her life is not going to look the same anymore,” said Antonio Rey.
After the incident, Rey watched the cameras and didn’t see his mother.
“So we had a neighbor go over, check on her who has keys to her house, found her hiding on the floor, under her dining room table,” he said.
She has been in the hospital for a week, receiving treatment for stress and anxiety.
“She’s shaken and rightfully so,” said Jacqueline Rey.
The victim’s family released images from their security cameras, hoping that someone would recognize the suspects. However, they acknowledged that in many ways, the damage has already been done.
“My mother will never be the same,” said Antonio Rey. “She gave her life to others as a nurse, and now she’s getting medical care due to this incident.”
He added, “While they had her distracted and out of sight, they ruined her life.”
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
