A woman's vacation turned upside down this week when she was attacked and kidnapped by scammers posing as toy drive donors.
Erin Quinn, a volunteer at a local holiday toy drive in a Southern California community, didn't think much of it when she received a text message from an unknown number claiming to be from an elderly woman who wanted to donate gifts. KTLA reported.
Quinn accepted, and the scammer, who identified herself as Connie in the message, gave her an address to receive the donations.
On Wednesday, as Quinn arrived home and started walking toward her home, she received another message saying someone was bringing toys to her car.
But when Quinn got back to her car, someone was already waiting for her inside. And that's when things got out of control.
A woman sitting in the back seat pulled Quinn by the hair and shocked her with a Taser before ordering him to start driving.
About 25 minutes later, Quinn, who had previously been Tasered about 30 times, crashed his car.
The two women got out of the car and began arguing. According to KTLA, Quinn bit off part of his finger while fighting off the attacker.
“I kicked her as hard as I could,” Quinn told the outlet.
“She tried to put her finger in my mouth, probably trying to rip my mouth open, and I completely panicked and didn't know what else to do, and in self-defense she tried to put her finger in my mouth. I bit off part of my finger.'' “
Quinn said it was at that moment that she recognized her attacker, Olga Mendez, a former housekeeper disguised in a blonde wig.
Quinn was only able to escape when a bystander, whom she called a “hero,” rushed to her aid. [had] I witnessed what was happening, videotaped it, but did nothing,” she lamented.
Quinn suffered bruises to her legs, Taser burns to her head, chunks of her hair torn out and a broken nail.
Local authorities have not yet arrested a suspect, but Quinn believes it was her old housekeeper who was plotting to take her across the border.
“I strongly believe that her plan was to kidnap me and take me to Mexico for ransom or sale,” Quinn explained.
“I'm completely horrified. I don't understand why she would do this.”
“All I was trying to do was help with the Christmas toy drive. I thought I could stop by and pick up some presents before work started,” Quinn said. , adding, “The whole world has changed.” Upside Down after a terrifying ordeal.”
a GoFundMe fundraiser The organization, started by Quinn's best friend, has so far raised $1,890 of its $8,000 goal.
