Woman Beaten On Way To Church

(CBS) -- A woman badly beaten as she walked to church this weekend in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, the attacker chased off by other neighbors and parishioners.

CBS 2's Charlie De Mar spoke with the woman's husband.

"Somebody knocked her down started beating on her, trying to take her purse," George Edwards says.

Police say his 50-year-old wife, who asked not to be named, was punched as she walked to the Holy Innocents Catholic Church for Saturday night mass.

Edwards say his wife's jaw was broken, and she has black eyes and cuts on her face. Neighbors and parishioners found her in the 1500 block of West Superior.

The attacker – a man in his 20s or 30s – ran away.

"Mentally, it's going to take her a little while to get her over this," Edwards says.

Anyone with information is asked to call Chicago Police.

The would-be robber did not away with the woman's purse. Edwards says his wife fought back, looping the purse around her wrist and using her keys to fend the attacker off.