Clay Neely, Newnan Times-Herald, August 7, 2016

An elderly woman is fighting for her life after a violent home-invasion robbery.

Dorothy Dow, 83, was airlifted to Grady Hospital late Thursday night after sustaining third-degree burns and several broken bones. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. on 7745 Forest Rd. in the Lone Oak community in Grantville.

Dow told deputies she was asleep in her bed when four black males and one black female forced their way through her backdoor and roused her from her sleep.

When one suspect demanded money, she was pistol whipped in the face after telling her attackers she didn’t have any. Then one suspect poured a flammable liquid on Dow and set her on fire.

During the assault, she sustained third-degree burns to her head and lower back, lacerations to her face, two broken arms, along with all the fingers on one hand, according to Sheriff Chuck Smith of the Meriwether County Sheriff’s Office.

After the suspects fled the home without taking anything, Dow told authorities she crawled along the floor for almost an hour searching for her phone. When responders arrived to her home, Dow was able to provide investigators with the details of the attack before being airlifted to Grady Hospital.

She is listed in critical condition, according to Smith.

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According to Smith, Dow’s property is used for growing blueberries. Investigators believe the suspects may have been laborers who worked during the most recent harvest.

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