HARTFORD, Mich. -- An elderly woman in Van Buren County is in the hospital after she was stabbed at least six times during a home invasion. It happened around 4:00 a.m. in the McDowell Apartments - a senior living complex in Hartford.
Police identified the victim as 61-year-old Charlotte Young. She was transported to Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph and was listed in critical condition Tuesday morning.
"She is very sweet, kind and very understanding," said Young's boyfriend George Segelstron. "Good personality about herself and everything. And I, I just don’t, why somebody would want to hurt her like that."
Police told FOX 17 the suspect lives in the complex as well. According to Segelstron, Young left the door unlocked and that may be how he entered her home. He said she woke up in the middle of the night to a man standing over her and he began to stab her intensely.
"When you stab somebody seven times - six or seven times - and you break a knife off in their lung, that’s murder," said Segelstron. "As far as I’m concerned that’s attempt."
Young underwent surgery to remove the part of the knife that was in her. Segelstron said that when he saw her she was able to speak briefly about how she felt.
"She’s very scared," said Segelstron. "She don’t want come back. If she comes back, she wants to stay with me."
Police have interviewed the suspect, a 38-year-old man who neighbors call "Crazy Dan." They said they've seen him lurk around the premise from time-to-time. Young called the police on him a few days ago, Segelstron said. But when he spoke with police, officers said he was cooperative.
No arrests have been made but Segelstron hopes justice will be served.
"I hope they catch him," said Segelstron. "They just best keep him locked up period for the rest of his life."
