GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The Kent County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a home invasion and an assault that happened to a woman in her 60s at her home in Plainfield Township last week.
“The person is known to the family and has a connection to the family,” Sheriff Michelle Lajoye-Young said during an interview with FOX 17 at Kent County headquarters on Monday. “So, we’re certainly investigating how that played into the crime. But, it was not a random attack.”
Sheriff Lajoye-Young said the woman was outside her home when an armed man approached her on Friday morning, March 24, and attacked her and bound her inside the home.
“Then [he] does a home invasion on her home and leaves her there bound for several hours until an acquaintance comes to the home that she had planned on having come to the home,” Sheriff Lajoye-Young said. “That acquaintance finds her, calls police, and then obviously we begin our investigation.”
Suspect Frank Youmans charged w/ 6 felonies including armed robbery, home invasion, assault w/ intent to do great bodily harm (strangulation).
— Lauren Edwards (@LaurenEdwardsTV) March 27, 2023
Youmans looking at life in prison if convicted.
Judge says there’s allegation that he was hit man sent to home to kill woman // @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/16EpN34Dot
She said the man stole cash and credit cards from the home, which he used. Later, Van Buren county deputies found his vehicle after a bulletin was posted, alerting all local agencies to the incident.
On Sunday, the man, identified as 54-year-old Frank Youmans, was arrested in Ada Township.
On Monday, he was arraigned at the 63rd District Court in front of Judge Sara J. Smolenski.
“The allegations are that you entered this woman’s home without permission. That there was an allegation that you were a hit man sent there to kill her,” said Judge Smolenski, while reading his case documents. “That there’s an allegation that you assaulted her by strangling her, rendering her unconscious. There’s an allegation that you tied her up with electrical cords so she could not move.”
Youman was officially charged with six felonies including home invasion, unlawful imprisonment, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, and armed robbery, which carries with it a penalty of life in prison if convicted.
“There’s allegations that your vehicle was observed and identified, the type of vehicle that it was, and that you’re identified as a friend of this woman’s daughter, who's sounding like the person you live with,” Judge Smolenski said. “I’m not clear if that’s it. I’m not clear on any of it. But it’s as serious as it can get.”
Judge Smolenski then set his bond at $1,000,000.
As for the woman, she’s recovering well, Sheriff Lajoye-Young said.
However, what helped her survive the attack was the friend who arrived to her house later that day. The sheriff recommends that everyone, especially those who live alone, make check-ins of loved ones a regular practice.
“Have those checkpoints built into your schedule,” she said. “Hey, just doing a status check. How are you? What’s going on? And just to make sure you get that answer.”
