Man Suffering From Dementia Brutally Beaten Outside Paterson Home
PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A man was badly bruised after being attacked by a stranger for no apparent reason while taking out the trash.
Home surveillance cameras captured the crime from beginning to end, and cops are searching for the suspect who targeted a man with health problems.
As CBS2's Andrea Grymes reported, the victim is 74-years-old and walks with a cane. His family said he has dementia and heart problems.
Jimmy Maldonado sat on his living room couch Friday, with bruises covering his arms, and under his eye -- reminders of a brutal attack just hours earlier.
"I'm not doing well, I'm very upset," he said speaking Spanish.
The incident was caught on the family's surveillance cameras.
Maldonado -- his niece said -- slipped outside to take out the garbage in a side alley while his health aide was upstairs.
A shirtless man walked by and eyed him, he lingered, and started throwing punches as Maldonado turned.
The attack came out of nowhere.
"I couldn't believe it because he's an elderly, he's sick, and everything. I don't understand how someone could do that to him," his niece Emily Mendoza said.
It happened around 2:30 Friday afternoon, outside of the family's Pearl Street home.
The family called police, and an ambulance came to take Maldonado to the hospital.
"Apparently he probably kicked him or something, because he has black and blues all over," Mendoza said.
Maldonado came home several hours later, and is now recuperating. He said he did not recognize the shirtless man who got away with his flip phone.
Maldonado's niece said he will not be going outside alone again -- he's too terrified. Police said they are still looking for the attacker.
