Family: 80-year-old woman shot and beaten during robbery that lasted 17 hours
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) -- An 80-year-old woman was beaten and shot during a lengthy home-invasion robbery in south Bakersfield.
Four people, three men and a woman, broke into Florence "June" McKay's home Wednesday afternoon at Stine Road and Ambrister Drive, according to family member Chris Wheeler.
"The EMTs did not even know she was shot because she was beaten so badly," he said.
The robbers remained in the home, holding McKay hostage, until around 8 a.m. Thursday, Wheeler said.
The grandmother was shot in the leg and is expected to survive. McKay lived alone, but she had a Life Alert necklace with her the entire time. She didn't want to active it because she thought, if she did, the robbers would kill her.
"She's amazing. Tough as nails. Wonderful person," said McKay's granddaughter, Melissa Abbott.
Wheeler said jewelry, antiques and a 1,000 pound safe were stolen. The family said they think the robbers shot McKay because she couldn't remember the combination to the safe.
"There's a special place in hell waiting for them," said Abbott.
Now they hope the robbers left behind plenty of fingerprints and that somebody has information to give to the police.
"People just come in and think they can take it? It's not theirs. It's not right," said Abbott. "I hope they were really stupid. They were stupid to begin with to break into an old lady's house as it is."
The Bakersfield Police Department hasn't released a detailed description of the suspects. Anyone with information helpful to the investigation is asked to call Detective Matt Gregory at (661) 326-3546.
The family has also offered a $1,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction.
"She might be 80 but she has a whole lot of living left to do," said Abbott.
