Neighborhood surveillance footage captured the moment a woman was violently attacked and robbed while she walked home from the bank Thursday.
Nimfa Morales was walking home from the bank when she was followed by a young group of women who tried to snatch her purse and then repeatedly beat her for not letting it go.
Police responded to a call about the attack about 12:50 p.m. in the 300 block of E. Pearce Street, the Long Beach Police Department reported.
The women punched Morales more than 20 times and smashed her face into the ground, police said.
After dragging her across the street, they took off with Morales’ wallet and a little cash.
“It’s terrible that they would do this for a few couple hundred dollars,” Morales’ son said.
At the time she was attacked, Morales was on the phone with her son who was at work.
She was telling her son that they were hitting her and trying to rob her.
“In that moment I’ve never felt so helpless in my life,” her son said.
Morales says it’s caused trauma for her and her son. Additionally, she now has medical bills from a fractured foot and injuries on her face and all over her body.
Morales and her son said they are scared for other mothers and for neighbors in their community.
“When I saw her in my heart just dropped, it’s a terrible thing when this happens in your own neighborhood to my own mother,” Morales’ son said.
The attackers appear to be in their late teens to early 20’s, police said. The investigation is ongoing.
Police urge anyone with information regarding this investigation to call the Long Beach Police Department’s Robbery Detectives at 562-570-7464.
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may submit a tip through “LA Crime Stoppers” by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the “P3 Tips” app to your smartphone or by visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.
A Go Fund Me has been set up to help Morales.
