Home Invasion

[Timber Wolf]

Hi everyone,

 

2020 has been a monumentally horrible year from my perspective. Having been forced to move. Covid 19 striking the U.S.  and the shut down, and the hardships there of that have affected so many. The Floyd murder and ensuing protests and the beligerent response by the government. The increasing political strife. 2020 was already destined to be remembered darkly by me. 

 

Yesterday morning my younger sister was informed by another sister that her family had been brutally attacked in there home. It was a horrifying story.

 

Two of my sisters live by Cowan Lake, where I grew up as a child. My younger sister Kris, who grew up along with me, lives across the lake from my family home of old, and runs a dog sitting business out of her home. Jan, one of my two older sisters lives right on the lakefront on the bay, along with her ailing husband Ron. Her son Joe and daughter in law Leilani are on an extended visit from New Jersey while Joe receives treatment for his severe back problems here in Grand Rapids. Jan grew up with my other older sister Lin, with a 10 year gap between the Lin and Jan pair and my pair of Kris and myself.

 

Cowan Lake was an idealic community where everyone knew everyone when I grew up, and it's been this way for the most part through present day. The major troubles with neighbors on the lake usually consisted of somebody going too fast in there boat, or something like that. It is a private lake with a Lake Association. Not a place of high crime, so to speak.

 

Quite recently a new couple moved into the house next to Jan's place. This last weekend, apparently the husband neighbor (I'll call him John) had to go out of town. He told his wife (I'll call her Jane) that he didn't want her cousin there while he was gone, because her cousin had a violent history. Regardless, Jane invited her cousin over Saturday, along with his girlfriend.

 

That night shortly after going to bed, Jan heard a woman scream for help. Thinking something might have happened to her son Joe, she ran downstairs where Joe and Lailani where sleeping. Nothing was wrong there. She went back upstairs and opened the door to look outside to see if anything was wrong out there.

 

Jane's cousin had lost control and chased his girlfriend into Jan's yard. When the cousin saw my sister open the door, he called her an obscenity and rushed through the door into her house without provocation. He punched my sister (a 65 year old woman) in the face, knocking her down, then started kicking her.

 

Jan's husband Ron called out asking what was happening. The man intercepted Ron in the living room and beat him up. Ron, 70 years old, is nearly crippled by his own ailments and can't walk or stand up well.

 

By this time, Joe had come upstairs having heard the commotion found and the man beating his mom and stepfather. Joe, with a very bad back, tried wrestling with the man, getting pummeled in the face in the process. Jan got up and grabbed a small knife from the kitchen and tried to stab the man. By this time her family was fighting for there lives. Leilani, a girl wieghing barely more than 100 pounds,  grabbed a French chef knife from the kitchen and yelled at the man to leave. The man finally began to yield, and Joe was able to push him out the door.

 

The man was arrested walking in the neighborhood that night. Jane never tried to get her cousin to stop, never went to Jan's house to see if they were ok, never called for help or anything.

 

Thankfully, nobody was killed. In the end, just a lot of bruises and stuff like that.

 

People ask me why I keep my door locked all the time. In my line of work as a security officer, I've seen a lot of stuff happen. Even in a good neighborhood, bad things can happen. Even if our neighbors are friendly and kindly, who knows who might come visiting them? Protect yourself. Have a plan for home invasion. Plan an escape route, a hiding place, and a course of action should worse come to worse. 

 

It's easy now that things are calm, to think I'd do such and such. But if you suddenly find yourself in a home invasion situation, your first reaction is going to be surprise and shock. Things can happen very fast, and that's not a good time to have to think of a course of action to protect yourself. The first option should be escape if possible. Let them have the run of the place. Your life is more important. If escape is impossible, hiding is the next option. If you've already been spotted, you may have to defend yourself. Have a plan you can fall back on. Avoiding a moment of indecision and confusion can make all the difference. And keep your doors locked. It's not being rude, it's being safe.

 

Lots of love,

Timber Wolf ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cyndee]

OMG Carla, this is so sad to read. The violence it's seemingly increasing everywhere, people are starting to loose it. I am glad nobody was seriously hurt or killed in this incident and that your family will recover, I am glad the man was arrested, that is not always the case. 2020 is turning out to be so weird, unsettling, and unpredictable. Be vigilant, be careful, be aware.

 

Hugs

 

Cyndee

[Jani]

Carla I so sorry to read this but at least your family seems to have escaped major injury.  You are right about how to handle a home invasion.  I am a compulsive door locker, always have been.  Living in a rural area where I cannot see the houses next door I am careful.  But you never know.  Its been a strange year for sure! 
 

Hugs, Jani 

[Heather Shay]

Carla (if I may be bold enough - based on Cyndee and Jani's comments) - my heart aches for you and family. I know you do what you can but sadly the world is such a hard place to live sometimes - you have to take comfort and solice where you can. I'm sure you are there for them and you know I and the ladies here definitely are here for you anytime.

 

Take care and rest easy,

 

Heather Shay

[Charlize]

I'm so sorry to hear this Carla.  Violence anywhere is upsetting but when family is involved it must be terrible.  Hopefully everyone will heal in body and mind.

 

Hugs to you and yours,

 

Charlize

[Carolyn Marie]

I'm so sorry to hear about what happened, Carla.  I am relieved that your family members will be OK, but I also worry about their mental health.  I hope that there are resources they can find for treatment of PTSD.  If they have Medicare or Medicaid it may cover trauma therapies.  I wish them and you all the best.

 

HUGS

 

Carolyn Marie

[KymmieL]

Carla, OMG. I am glad they caught the guy who beat up your family. Things are getting so FUBARed. With cops not doing anything to people who burn cop cars and police stations.  It is getting to the point of becoming the old west again. things being settled in the OK corral at high noon.

 

I hope this guy goes away for a long time.

 

Kymmie

[Susan R]

Carla, I am so sorry this happened to your family. It’s a crazy world out there and it’s getting crazier every day. Thank God no one was seriously injured...at least physically as Carolyn Marie alluded to. It could have ended so much worse. I hope your family will be ok but what happened is truly sad.

 

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family,

Susan R?

[Lexi C]

Wow its like a life time movie over there.

Happy all is well.

I used to have a unregister gun with no serial number cause of the business i was in. I turn it into the police station for home depot card worth 250 two year ago, But i tell i regard it cause its getting civi crazy out here

[tracy_j]

I am so sorry to hear this Carla. You are right, it can happen anywhere and when someone loses it it does not matter who you are to be on the receiving end. I hope everyone recovers well.

 

Tracy

[Teri Anne]

So sorry your family had to go thru this situation.Everything changes after you go thru something like this.

No place is safe really and you need to be prepared or have a plan in case it does.

Whatever plan you chose is up to you of course just make sure everybody knows the plan and what their part is.

Personally I keep protection handy

[SaraAW]

Carla so sorry for you and your family. Hugs!

 

I work with security personnel and part of my job is designing systems, policies and procedures for site hardening and life safety. Your advice to others is spot on. Lock your doors. Have some security and life safety plans. The simpler the better.