"She heard somebody call to her, and she didn't know if they needed directions, or if they were calling to walk with her. As she turned, she was punched above the right eye, and the punch knocked her to the ground," said Superintendent Michael Chitwood of the Upper Darby Police.
The suspect got away with the 82-year-old's purse. It contained nothing but her keys, a few IDs and a bank card. The nun told police she believes the suspect was a teenager, but could not give them any kind of description.
Police have no leads, but say the nun did see two people sitting in a burgundy car across the street.
The nun then told police a young male, possibly a student, helped her up and walked her to the convent door.
"After she was secure he left. We never got his name or any identification. By the time police got there, he was already gone," Chitwood said.
Father Peter Quinn says the nun received five stitches over her eye and suffered a broken pelvis.
"Without that boy, she doesn't know what may have happened to her, because she couldn't move," Father Quinn said.
Superintendent Chitwood is outraged by the crime.
"When you get somebody of that age, and then you get an individual who would probably state she has never done anything wrong in her life, and dedicated her life to helping people, to be viciously attacked by some scumbag, to me that exacerbates the tragedy," Chitwood said.
People in the community feel the same way.
"If it was kids, then they should be in school, and if it wasn't kids they should have a job," said Fadimah Dawner of Upper Darby.
"It's ridiculous! She's a nun, for crying out loud! What, they don't believe in God?" asked Upper Darby resident Irvan Logue.
If you have any information you're asked to call Upper Darby Police at (610) 352-7050.
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