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Therese Garcia was nearly beaten to death by a stranger after she invited him into her home for a temporary stay

Therese Garcia, a 71-year-old woman from Crestline, California, was nearly beaten to death by a stranger after she invited him into her home. The man, identified as 26-year-old Erik Eduardo Navarro, told Garcia that his belongings were stolen while camping and that he had an upcoming job interview. Garcia welcomed him into her home, where he stayed for approximately two weeks. After the man began making demands and taking over the home, Garcia asked Navarro to leave. In response, Navarro attacked Garcia while she was slept on the couch. He struck her repeatedly with a metal baseball bat and kicked her for several hours until she lost consciousness. Navarro then fled the scene, taking Garcia's phone, keys, and e-bike. Neighbors requested a welfare check on August 25, and deputies found Garcia with severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, a brain bleed, and multiple broken bones in her arm, hand, and face. Garcia remains hospitalized and may require facial surgery once the swelling subsides. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department is still searching for Navarro, who remains at large.

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