El Cerrito Woman, 81, Badly Beaten – Found in Big O Parking Lot

Update, Jan. 28, 10:03 p.m., with added information reported by KGO-TV

An 81-year-old woman from El Cerrito was found badly beaten in critical condition this morning, Saturday, in the Big O Tires parking lot on San Pablo Avenue, about three blocks south of El Cerrito City Hall, accordig to Richmond police.

She may also have been sexually assaulted, according to Richmond police Lt. Bisa French. She was airlifted by medical helicopter in critical condition to a local hospital, French said.

An employee of the tire company found her this morning and called police shortly after 9 a.m., French said. She was conscious at the time.

It was not known when the attack occurred and police had not indentified a suspect, French said.

A Big O employee told Patch, "My co-worker was parking this van and saw a lady lying down on the ground bloody." The co-worker called 911, said the employee, who didn't want to give his name.

It was the store manager, Art Ochoa, who found the elderly Asian woman in a dark corner of the lot where he doesn't ordinarily look until late in the day, according to KGO-TV. At first he thought she was homeless, until he saw the blood, the TV station said.

"When I asked her if she needed help, she looked up at me. Her face was all swollen, just blood everywhere, and she just nodded. She didn't answer me. She nodded," Ochoa told the TV station.

French told KGO that police were not able to talk to the woman. "At this point, we're not even sure that she's going to survive her injuries," French said on the broadcast.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Richmond police, 510-233-1214.

The mailing address for Big O and the sidewalk in front of the business are in El Cerrito, while the building and business are located in Richmond.