Home Health Aide Accused of Stabbing 84-Year-Old Patient While Whispering ‘Just Let Go,’ Prosecutors Say
MASSAPEQUA, NY — A 23-year-old New York home health aide is behind bars after prosecutors say she climbed into an elderly patient’s bed in the middle of the night and drove an 8-inch chef’s knife into the woman’s torso, whispering for her to “stop fighting it” and “just let go.”
The victim — 84-year-old Wendy Wilson, now 85 — survived the brutal attack.
Incident Captured on Home Surveillance Cameras
According to Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly, the assault occurred around 2:08 a.m. on Oct. 29 while the victim slept inside her Massapequa home. Security cameras inside the bedroom reportedly show Amanda Fraser, the overnight aide assigned to care for Wilson, entering the room with a large knife.
Fraser then allegedly plunged the blade into Wilson’s body before holding the knife in place for nearly 16 minutes, ignoring the woman’s moans and attempts to remove it.
Prosecutors say Fraser repeatedly whispered chilling phrases, including:
- “Just let go.”
- “Stop fighting it.”
At 2:28 a.m., Fraser is seen pulling out the knife and leaving the home, leaving Wilson alone and gravely injured.
Suspect Fled After Attempting to Ram House, Family Says
Wilson’s family told investigators that exterior cameras also captured Fraser trying to ram the house with her Dodge Charger before she fled on foot. When she left, the car remained lodged on the home’s front lawn.
The victim was not discovered until the next morning when the daytime home health aide arrived for her shift. Police responded just after 8:30 a.m., and Wilson was rushed to the hospital with a punctured lung, which later became infected. She remained hospitalized for weeks, turning 85 during her recovery.
Fraser Arrested the Same Day; Mental Evaluation Ordered
Fraser was found later that day in Queens and arrested without incident. After being transported to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, she was arraigned on Nov. 3.
Her employer, Aides at Home, said it is cooperating with investigators.
Full List of Charges Filed Against Fraser
The 23-year-old faces a long list of felony charges, including:
- Attempted second-degree murder
- First-degree assault (two counts)
- Second-degree assault
- Two counts of endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person
- Endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person
Fraser is being held at the Nassau County Correctional Center and is due back in court on Dec. 9.
Family Praises Cameras for Saving Their Mother’s Life
Wilson’s son said that without the surveillance system, the attack would have gone unnoticed until it was too late.
“This showed exactly what happened and helped save our mom,” he said in an interview with local reporters.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the attack.
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