A woman will be undergoing surgery tomorrow for her fractured hand after she was allegedly beaten by her landlord in a tenancy dispute. According to Jennifer Reneau, who lives on Sapodilla Street in Orange Walk, she had just returned home from working an extended shift at the Northern Regional Hospital when her landlord attacked her with a metal pipe in front of her young children.
Reneau fought him off as best as she could, even after he had gained entrance to her home, but sustained plenty of injuries in the process. She explained that the hostilities began when she informed the landlord she was going to move out, but he reportedly grew impatient.
Now, Reneau says that due to the injuries and the surgery, she will have to miss work, which is difficult since she is a single mother - and that this entire ordeal has left her kids, ages 3 and 4, traumatized. We spoke with her over the phone today.
Voice of: Jennifer Reneau, Victim of Beating
"Well, I just came off from work, I got a drop home and when I was going in the house, I see this man come. He didn't even give me a break to get in the house when everything started on the veranda. When I turned around, I got a flip round completely and thats when he started to knock me down, because if he had caught me on the top of my head, he would have killed me."
"The babysitter hurried grab my baby and put the baby in the house. Right by the door everything started when he hit me and I drop. My hand got fractured and I will need surgery to use my hand. Then I tried to fight him, I kicked him and then he drop. He came and knock me and then I kicked him and he came in the house."
Reporter
"Apart from your hand, what other injuuries did you sustain?"
Voice of: Jennifer Reneau, Victim of Beating
"My head, my back, my foot, my legs - every part of my body is bruised where he hit me. I tried to cover my face, so he doesn't hit me, because all I hear my baby saying mommy, blood."
Reporter
"And do you have any idea why he is attacking you or targeting you and your family like this?"
Voice of: Jennifer Reneau, Victim of Beating
"He came and ask me, will you stay in the house and I told him no, I will not stay in the house. He say I need you to come out my house as soon as possible. I tell him yes I will come out, but you can't just tell me like that, I need to find a house, before I have to pay you rent, I am coming out the house. But he never understands that."
The landlord has been charged for Burglary, Wounding and Damage to property. We will release his name when he goes to to court tomorrow. Reneau is currently staying at a relative's house and is looking for a new place to live.
