CRESTLINE, CA — A California family is speaking out after a 71-year-old woman was allegedly beaten for hours with an aluminum baseball bat by a man she had tried to help. Therese Garcia’s daughter says the attack happened after her mother offered shelter to a young man who claimed he had lost his belongings while camping.

What began as an act of kindness in Crestline, in San Bernardino County, ended in a violent ordeal that left Garcia with broken bones, deep lacerations, and a traumatic brain injury, according to her family. Police are searching for the suspect, whom the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office later identified as Erik Eduardo Navarro of Orange County.

How a simple offer of help turned into a dangerous living arrangement

Abbie Garcia told KNBC-TV that her mother met the man while sitting on her front porch. He said his belongings had been stolen, and Therese Garcia responded by letting him stay at her home. The arrangement lasted about two weeks before, the family says, the situation changed.

According to the daughter, the man began to take over the home, and Garcia eventually asked him to leave. That request allegedly set off the attack. The family says the suspect responded with extreme violence, turning a place of refuge into the scene of a prolonged assault.

The details shared by the family paint a stark picture of how quickly trust can be exploited. What was meant to be temporary help became a frightening situation that left an older woman vulnerable inside her own home.

Family says the beating lasted for hours through repeated loss of consciousness

Abbie Garcia described the attack as prolonged and brutal. She said her mother went to sleep and later woke to find the man beating her with a metal bat. The violence, she said, continued for hours as Therese Garcia drifted in and out of consciousness.

Each time she woke up, the daughter said, the attacker allegedly returned to strike her again until she finally lost consciousness completely. Those details underscore the severity of the assault and help explain why the family says the injuries were so severe.

The victim’s daughter said the attack only ended after the suspect fled. Before leaving, he allegedly took Garcia’s keys, phone, and e-bike, further isolating her and delaying help.

Neighbors who called police may have saved her life

The family says neighbors played a critical role in getting help to the home. After noticing something was wrong, they called police to request a wellness check. Abbie Garcia said that call may have prevented a fatal outcome.

“If it weren’t for the neighbors calling the police, my mother would have bled to death alone in her home,” she said. That statement reflects both the seriousness of Garcia’s injuries and the likely delay before emergency responders reached her.

In cases like this, even a brief check-in from a neighbor can make the difference between life and death. Here, the family believes that outside attention interrupted what could have become an even more tragic outcome.

Therese Garcia’s injuries were severe, including broken bones and brain trauma

Garcia’s daughter said her mother suffered broken bones, deep cuts, and a traumatic brain injury. Those injuries suggest a violent assault that went far beyond a single blow and required urgent medical attention.

The family has not publicly detailed every aspect of her treatment, but the injuries alone indicate how dangerous the attack was. A traumatic brain injury can affect memory, balance, speech, and recovery in the days and weeks after an assault.

For Garcia’s loved ones, the physical damage is only part of the story. They are also left trying to process how someone accepted into her home could allegedly respond with such force.

Sheriff’s investigators identified a suspect from Orange County

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office later identified the suspect as Erik Eduardo Navarro of Orange County. Authorities said they were searching for a man in his 20s in connection with the beating and the theft of Garcia’s belongings.

The identification marks an important step in the investigation, though officials have not publicly described additional charges or given details about whether Navarro had been taken into custody. For now, the case remains centered on the family’s account and the sheriff’s office response.

Police involvement also highlights the broader concern for residents who open their homes to people in need. In this case, the family says that decision led to violence, theft, and a desperate effort to find the suspect.

Her daughter says kindness should never have been met with violence

Abbie Garcia said her mother has always been someone who tried to help others, and that this experience has been especially painful because it followed an act of generosity. She said, “My mom didn’t deserve this,” adding that her mother was only trying to help someone she believed needed assistance.

That theme of compassion turned upside down is what has made the case resonate so strongly with the family. They say Therese Garcia’s instinct was to offer shelter, not to put herself in danger.

For now, the family is focused on her recovery and on the search for the man police say was responsible. Their hope is that the attention on the case will bring accountability and keep other families alert to the risks of similar situations.

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