Norwalk Nightmare: Mother's Fight for Survival After Vicious Attack and Son's Abduction

 



In a horrifying incident, a woman faced a brutal attack by an armed intruder who also kidnapped her son. This heart-wrenching event unfolded on August 2nd at Maria Romero's residence in Norwalk, near the intersection of Studebaker Road and Alondra Boulevard.


The assailant, armed with a hammer he discovered in the yard, shattered a sliding glass door to gain entry. He then mercilessly assaulted Maria Romero using the same tool. This vicious attack left the former LAUSD teacher with a fractured skull, multiple facial bone fractures, a broken wrist and finger, and severe damage to her eye socket.

In her own words to KTLA 5's Kimberly Cheng, Maria recounted, "I've undergone reconstructive surgery twice. A part of the bone I needed was found in my cheek. My nerves were severed, leaving no chance of regaining eyesight in my left eye."

Despite Maria's valiant resistance, she eventually lost consciousness, and at that moment, the armed intruder abducted her adult son, who happens to have Down syndrome. Frank Andrade, Maria's husband who was not at home during the incident, shared, "The same video that shows him entering the property shows him carrying my son out."


Thankfully, Maria and Frank's son was later located unharmed. 

However, the trauma of the experience has led him to temporarily stay with relatives. This horrifying attack has left the community deeply shaken, prompting some residents to take action to safeguard themselves and their neighborhood.

Former Norwalk Mayor Bob Arthur, a nearby resident, stated, "We are currently in the process of organizing a public safety neighborhood watch program. This initiative aims to raise awareness among our neighbors about their surroundings and equip them with knowledge on how to respond should such a harrowing event occur in the future."

Curiously, neither Frank Andrade nor Maria Romero recognized the home intruder, and the motive behind the attack remains a mystery. 


Victims received a court notice identifying the suspect as Tyrone Howard. He was apprehended at a local shopping center shortly after committing the armed robbery and kidnapping. Witnesses reported that on the same day, Howard had approached other homes in the area, seemingly disoriented and claiming to be "looking for his child."

In another news, a man from Texas has admitted his involvement in a human smuggling and trafficking operation that led to the deaths of 53 migrants who were trapped in a stifling tractor-trailer in San Antonio last year. See detailed story here


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