Police charged 45-year-old Leon Alexander with attempted rape, kidnapping, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary.

Columbus Police say a man broke into the home of an 89-year-old woman and tried to rape her.

It was early Monday morning when the elderly woman was confronted by a stranger in her home on Denune Avenue in North Linden.

Alert neighbors helped put the suspect behind bars and prevented this violent attack from being even worse.

75-year-old Shirley Bolen and her son sought out to protect their 89-year-old neighbor across the street.

"She's the most caring person I ever met,” Bolen said. “She cares about everybody, would do anything for anybody."

After a break-in a few years ago, Bolen's concern for her friend prompted this request:

"I asked her to leave a light on in that kitchen so that we could see over through there. And thank God we did," she said.

Bolen's son was leaving for work around 4 a.m. when he looked across the street and noticed a strange figure in their neighbor's window, illuminated by that kitchen light.

"My son came running in the house hollering, ‘Mom! I think (her) house has been broken into!’" Bolen said.

They called police and watched from their front window.

"He was on the phone talking to them and telling them what was going on, and we could still see him going back and forth in front of the window. And he says it looks like he's dragging her into the other room," Bolen said.

Bolen said within just a few minutes, officers were on scene. They charged in and arrested 45-year-old Leon Alexander.

Court records state Alexander, armed with a box cutter and knife, had beaten the woman, removed his clothes and told her he was going to rape her.

"It's not human and he can't be human, to do a thing like that,” Bolen said.

Sickened by what her friend suffered, Bolen is grateful she's alive.

"I can't imagine her being gone,” she said through tears. “Thank God she's not."

That her son saw what he did, when he did, she calls "God's work."

But getting help when it was needed the most is the work of regular people just looking out for each other.

"That's what neighbors should do for everybody,” Bolen said.

The victim, who 10TV is not identifying, is being treated for her injuries at Riverside Hospital.

Alexander is in the Franklin County Jail, charged with attempted rape, kidnapping, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary.