Watch CBS News

Police: Bronx Home Health Aide Stabbed Dozens Of Times By Patient's Grandson

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A home health aide somehow survived after being stabbed dozens of times in an apartment in the Longwood section of the Bronx on Sunday.

62-year-old Maria Rios was seen on surveillance video emerging from apartment 3-F in the building on West Farms Road, stunned and covered in blood after the vicious attack. She's seen stumbling down the hallway, knocking on doors hoping someone would save her.

"I was scared to death first of all, but I needed to help her," neighbor Diane Waterman said. Her and another neighbor sprung into action.

Maria Guardiola can be seen entering the video wearing a black top.

"First I was in shock because I never seen something like that before," Maria said. "She was stabbed so many times and she had a wound, the blood was just like pouring out of her chest."

Guardiola says she tried to calm Rios down while also dialing 911. The video shows her frantically pacing around, waiting for police and paramedics to arrive.

"The only thing I can remember is crying a lot and telling her to still live, don't move, that they were coming for her," Guardiola said.

Both Waterman and Guardiola recognize Rios as a home health aide who cares for the 90-year-old woman with dementia who lives in the apartment she stumbled out. Waterman says she asked Rios what happened as she sat it in the corner bloodied and dazed.

"She said the grandson said 'if I touch his grandmother again I'm going to kill you'," Waterman said.

Police say grandson, 45-year-old Marcus Gomez, was arrested at the scene. The surveillance footage shows him leaving the apartment in handcuffs wearing an odd piece of clothing which Waterman said looked like a woman's nightgown.

"He must have cleaned himself off because I didn't see too much blood on him," she said. "Must have wiped off and changed himself into the gown."

Gomez's residence is listed as the Creedmore Psychiatric Center in Queens, according to police, but it's unclear if he's currently a patient there. As for Rios, despite the devastating injuries including a stab wound that narrowly missed her heart, friends and family members say she's expected to recover.

Investigators say Gomez is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation before facing a judge.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.