As a senior citizen, 70-year-old Idorene Hyde should be treated like a pillar of the community, but instead, yesterday, she was handled like a doormat.
The 70 year old was robbed in the very comfort of her home at around 3:30 yesterday afternoon. As many older persons, do she was sitting in her living room watching television when a man came in, beat her and robbed her of a gold bracelet and some money. She recounted her encounter and the cruel circumstances that led to it.
Alfonso NobleReporting,
70 year old Idorene Hyde bears a large bruise on the left side of her face. It's the last thing you'd expect a peaceable senior citizen to have, but she got it when she was brutally robbed in her own home yesterday afternoon.
Idorene Hyde,
“I was sitting down here at about 3:30 in the afternoon. I saw my nephew and this boy pass and they gave me a bad eye. I wondered why because he always comes here and I help him out. And after 50 minutes, about 3:45, the boy was coming here and claiming some money that my cousin owes him. I told him that if my cousin owes him money then you either bring him here or we call the police. As soon as I said call the police he started to beat me up, rob my money, and took my gold bangles off my hand. He punched me in my face and stomach.”
While the attack was shameful in itself, what makes it more despicable is that Hyde says it was a member of her own family who set up the crime.
Idorene Hyde,
“The boy that is my nephew, that is my sister’s son if I see him at night I know him. If I see him at day I know him. But I put it in the Lord’s hand because I will hurt them. Because I believe this is advantage, he is my sister’s son. I am good to my family.”
But now that kindness is quickly ending and turning into fear leaving this 70 year old afraid of everyone and everything.
Idorene Hyde,
“I believe this is wrong what happens in Belize and if we do not put a stop to it, whether it is your mother or your father or your child put a stop to it because it will get worse. This has never happened before. I have been here only 8 weeks and this has happened. It is wrong so I would like him to be punished and I would like everybody to know who he is. I know my sister feels bad about it but I have to take care of myself. It makes my life very sad. I like them because they are my family but it makes me just want to go away from them because I don’t trust them anyway. My lawyer and police said to keep the gate locked and don’t open the door for anyone. I told my son when he closes the door, no matter what don’t open it. I am scared for my safety. I am scared because this has never happened to me from the day I was born. If you were in my shoes you wouldn’t blame me.”
And who can blame her, she's 70 years old, scared for her life, and caged up in her own home, all because of crime.
Police are investigating the robbery and are closely following up on Hyde's claims as she has identified her nephew by name.