Sep 21, 2008 10:37 am US/Eastern
Youth Group Raises Money For Brooklyn Grandmother
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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A youth group raised $900 to replace the money stolen from Lillian France.
CBS
There was a happy twist Saturday to what has been a terrible story. An elderly woman that was brutally mugged in a Brooklyn elevator last month is still recovering from her injuries, but young people in her community have given her back some of what was taken.
Lillian France walks a little slower these days. Her family says she's a lot less trusting.
"I'm standing here today still not feeling well," France said.
Her health has declined ever since the brutal attack. A man choked her from behind in an elevator, then stole her cane and $900.
"She was confident. She was happy. Now she's not smiling," her niece Claire France said. "She looks sad all the time. She can't sleep. This man has absolutely wreaked havoc on her life, and it's very sad to see her this way."
An outraged community shouted and cheered when police charged Cornelius Abson with the crime. But some young people are doing more to make things right.
"Mrs. France could easily been my mother or grandmother," said Youth Task Force member Keston Boice.
The Youth Task Force, working with state senator Eric Adams collected donations - enough to replace every penny stolen from France.
These kids hope to give more than just a check, they want to lead other young people away from lives of crime.
"Instead of taking from people in the community, they can actually give back," added Youth Task Force member Abeena Thomas.
Even if France never gets over the attack, what happened today will at least make a small difference.
"There's still good kids around," France said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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