An 81-year-old Florida man found help the only way he could — he left a note in his mailbox asking police to come.
A mail carrier spotted the handwritten message and alerted authorities, leading Lantana police to the man’s home on Dec. 29, 2025, WPBF 25 News reported. Officers said the note simply asked them to call police and led them to a scene involving an alleged assault by the man’s caregiver.
Police said the alleged victim told them his caregiver, Denise Williams, became angry the day before over the condition of his bathroom and began yelling at him, according to WPBF 25 News. The man said he tried to call for help, but Williams took his phone and disabled his ability to contact anyone. (RELATED: FBI Announces Arrests In Elderly Timeshare Fraud Targeting Seniors)
“She jumped on my chest as I was lying down, trying to get my phone,” the man told the outlet. He alleged Williams scratched him, seized his cellphone and house phones, took his car keys, and locked the items in her bedroom.
A desperate plea for help: 81-year-old man’s mailbox note leads to his caregivers arrest | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/Zji8yRLSoM
— WPBF 25 News (@WPBF25News) January 6, 2026
The man told police he suffered a hand injury during the struggle and had no working phone left in the house. He said he then wrote the note and placed it in the mailbox, hoping someone would see it.
Officers said the mail carrier found the note the next day and called police, who responded and interviewed the man. The alleged victim provided a description of Williams’ vehicle, and officers later located her at a nearby gas station, WPBF 25 News reported.
Police reported that Williams had the man’s debit card and checkbook, and she allegedly admitted to taking his cellphone and injuring his hand, according to the outlet. Investigators said she also admitted to disconnecting and hiding both landline phones.
Officers arrested Williams on charges that include battery on a person 65 or older and robbery. She remains held at the Palm Beach County Jail, according to the outlet.
The man told WPBF 25 News he is now searching for a new live-in caregiver as he recovers.