A New York man allegedly gouged his grandmother’s eyes and left her blind during an argument about money, according to officials.
At around 7:45 p.m. on February 19, Michael Grief, 30, and his 78-year-old grandmother argued at their shared home in Long Island. The grandson had allegedly overdrawn her bank account by $1,000, the Tribune Media Wire Service reported citing local police. When the elderly woman left the home to seek help from a neighbor, Grief followed her.
Outside the neighbor’s home, Grief used his fingers to gouge his grandmother’s eyes one at a time “with such force that the globes of her eyes ruptured,” Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini told a press conference on Wednesday.
“The neighbors who heard the victim screaming and banging on the door came outside and found her on the ground and called the police,” he said.
The woman was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, and underwent eight hours of surgery, the hospital told Tribune Media. There is a less than 1 percent change she will have her vision back, Sini said.
“When the defendant was talking to police and was told he had gouged his grandmother’s eyes out, he was very dismissive. He said, ‘so?,’ shrugged his shoulders, and appeared to be apathetic toward the situation,” Tribune Media reported Sini as saying.
Grief was charged with first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault, Patch reported. He was arraigned on an indictment on Wednesday, and had his bail set at $500,000. He will appear in court on March 15.
David Ryan, the manager of the building, told ABC 7 the pair had fought for years.
"I heard yelling and screaming sometimes they would fight and stuff, and then one of the neighbors that lived here years ago said that they always fought," he said.
District Attorney Sini said, according to Tribune Media: “The message here is one about domestic violence: Often people find themselves in situations with their family members where they feel helpless or threatened, and we want to encourage those people to reach out.
“If you are in immediate danger, call 911. In non-emergency situations, you can also reach out to the District Attorney’s Office and we can put you in contact with a victim’s advocate who can empower you and help you navigate the process of ensuring your safety.”
Suffolk County Police Department
At around 7:45 p.m. on February 19, Michael Grief, 30, and his 78-year-old grandmother argued at their shared home in Long Island. The grandson had allegedly overdrawn her bank account by $1,000, the Tribune Media Wire Service reported citing local police. When the elderly woman left the home to seek help from a neighbor, Grief followed her.
Outside the neighbor’s home, Grief used his fingers to gouge his grandmother’s eyes one at a time “with such force that the globes of her eyes ruptured,” Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini told a press conference on Wednesday.
“The neighbors who heard the victim screaming and banging on the door came outside and found her on the ground and called the police,” he said.
The woman was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, and underwent eight hours of surgery, the hospital told Tribune Media. There is a less than 1 percent change she will have her vision back, Sini said.
“When the defendant was talking to police and was told he had gouged his grandmother’s eyes out, he was very dismissive. He said, ‘so?,’ shrugged his shoulders, and appeared to be apathetic toward the situation,” Tribune Media reported Sini as saying.
Grief was charged with first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault, Patch reported. He was arraigned on an indictment on Wednesday, and had his bail set at $500,000. He will appear in court on March 15.
David Ryan, the manager of the building, told ABC 7 the pair had fought for years.
"I heard yelling and screaming sometimes they would fight and stuff, and then one of the neighbors that lived here years ago said that they always fought," he said.
District Attorney Sini said, according to Tribune Media: “The message here is one about domestic violence: Often people find themselves in situations with their family members where they feel helpless or threatened, and we want to encourage those people to reach out.
“If you are in immediate danger, call 911. In non-emergency situations, you can also reach out to the District Attorney’s Office and we can put you in contact with a victim’s advocate who can empower you and help you navigate the process of ensuring your safety.”
Suffolk County Police Department
