84-Year-Old Woman Uses 'Life Alert' To Get Help During Threatening Situation
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Firefighters in Colorado Springs responding to a Life Alert call from an 84-year-old woman may have saved her life, not from a medical emergency, but from a man allegedly threatening to kill her.
Police said the victim's son was attempting to coerce the woman into signing a court document concerning a pending harassment and assault case involving him and his sister.
"The statement she filled out was not to his satisfaction, so he filled out a detailed statement and wanted her to sign it," police said in a statement.
The woman refused to sign the sign the document because she didn't witness some of the actions detailed in statement.
According to police, the suspect, identified as Matthew McBride, "wrapped her up with a vacuum cord and threatened to kill her and his sister" unless the woman signed the document.
The woman apparently pushed her Life Alert button as a call for help. The fire department immediately responded by sending out firefighters on an unknown medical alarm.
"When the fire department arrived, no one would answer the door and the victim was seen in the window crying and trying to get their attention," police said.
McBride eventually let the firefighters in and ran from the home. He was later found at Rampart Park and arrested for intimidating a witness and false imprisonment.
