Beloved San Jose woman attacked last month in home robbery dies

Byby Cornell Barnard KGO logo
Sunday, October 9, 2016
San Jose woman attacked last month in home robbery dies
Relatives are grieving and neighbors are outraged after an elderly South Bay woman died weeks after she was the victim of a home invasion-robbery.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Relatives are grieving and neighbors are outraged after an elderly South Bay woman died weeks after she was the victim of a home invasion-robbery.

Flo Douglas had been in the hospital ever since last month's home invasion robbery and beating. The 88-year-old died early Saturday morning and there could be new charges against the man accused of attacking her.

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Grief stricken relatives coped with the loss of their beloved matriarch, lovingly known as "Miss Flo."

"Some are crushed and some are very angry that our aunt and loved one was subjected to such a brutal beating and basically murdered," said Rev. Michael Wallace.

Douglas was severely beaten inside her East San Jose home during a home invasion robbery on Sept. 12. Zachary Cuen, 19, who police say lived in the same neighborhood, was arrested for the crime and now with a new charge.

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"We definitely support him being charged with murder. It will be up to the DA to amend those charges, but we're proceeding with a murder investigation," said Santa Clara County sheriff's Sgt. Rich Glennon.

Douglas was a pillar in church and her community. Candles are lit and a sign still hangs in front of her home wishing her a speedy recovery.

"We all had a lot of hope, we all definitely had lot of hope," said Chris, a neighbor. "She always had a smile and a wave."

Even at 88, Douglas never stopped helping others and never stopped working as a hair stylist.

"Even the day before she was attacked, she was still doing hair at her home. So she had worked all her life and to have that snatched, and robbed of that of her independence, of her life, is just really awful," Wallace said.

A GoFundMe account for Douglas has raised more than $8,000 dollars. The family says it will help with her funeral expenses.