Woman Attacked In Willowbrook Area Apartment: Cops

WILLOWBROOK, IL – A man was arrested this week after he severely beat an older woman in her unincorporated Willowbrook home, authorities said.

Abelardo Zapata, 33, of unincorporated Willowbrook, was arrested and taken to the DuPage County Jail, police said.

About 8 a.m. Sunday, Zapata was walking with another tenant to her apartment when he kicked in the door to the apartment of a woman older than 60, police said.

Once inside, he struck the woman in the face, grabbed her head and slammed it against a cabinet, according to a news release from DuPage County prosecutors.

Zapata stole her cellphone and ran away, police said. The woman called 911 from another phone.

Shortly after, police said they found Zapata at a McDonald's a block away.

In response to an inquiry, the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office told Patch that Zapata went to speak with his ex-wife, who is the victim's neighbor. He banged on the outside door of the apartment complex, prompting his ex-wife to let him in, the agency said.

Zapata was charged with the felonies of home invasion, robbery involving a victim over 60 and aggravated battery with great bodily harm to a victim over 60.

"The allegations that for no apparent reason, Mr. Zapata kicked in the front door of an innocent woman’s apartment and then severely beat her are shocking," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. "A person’s home is their sanctuary and people have every right to feel safe in their homes. Mr. Zapata’s alleged actions destroyed this victim’s feeling of safety and security. I sincerely hope that the victim in this case has a speedy recovery from her physical injuries and I wish her the best as she is now forced to cope with the psychological harm allegedly caused by Mr. Zapata."

A DuPage County judge granted prosecutors' request to keep Zapata in jail until his trial.