AdChoiceTV News — An 83-year-old, Philadelphia-based Filipino is fighting for his life after his home was invaded on New Year’s Eve.
Because of his fear of getting infected with COVID-19, Mauricio Gesmundo Sr. insisted to stay at home while the rest of the family got together for a New Year’s Eve Part.
His son Geo told AdChoiceTV News how his sister found their father beaten and hogtied on the floor of their house.
“My dad remembers it was 30 minutes after Mona and my brother-in-law Arnold left. Someone came in, violated his home, beat him zip tied, and duct-taped his hands his feet and duct-taped his mouth and head several times. And at 3:00 a.m. was when my sister and my brother-in-law found him,” he said.
Geo said his father was not able to see the faces of his assailants as his face was covered before he was beaten.
“He was still conscious at the time when he was found by my sister, however, he did not hear the voice, he does not know what they look like — the race, female, male. Unfortunately he does not remember that information,” he said.
But Geo said the suspects might be some of their acquaintances.
“Just my gut feeling, is that we know or he knows who did this to him… because the way he was beaten and the way he was taped up I just felt like there was a underlying meaning to it,” he said.
“The only thing that was taken was two safes in my brother-in-law and my sister’s room.” The two safes contained at least $30,000 each.
Geo added that they were the only things that were taken.
“My dad has his cash in his pocket they didn’t take. That he had his watch still intact, they didn’t take that. They had laptops and computers in the living room and none of that was taken,” he said.
The older Gesmundo is still in a coma and remains in intensive care at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia.
“He took a turn for the worse on January 4th. He did have a stroke while at the ICU because of his four brain bleeds right now. He’s in a state of a coma and we’re still hoping and praying for the best,” Geo said.
The Gesmundo family has raised more than $5,000 to pay anyone who can provide solid information that would lead to the arrest of the assailants.
The family is asking anyone with information on the violent attack to come forward.
Anyone who has a lead on them can call 215-686-TIPS (8477) or reach the local police at tips@phillypolice.com.
AdChoiceTV News 