Media General News Service

A veteran Powhatan County teacher who in the past has overcome a stroke and sometimes must use a wheelchair is severely injured and lost virtually all her belongings last week in a brutal beating.

Mary Anderson, in her mid-50s, was beaten with a meat cleaver, suffered severe head injuries and damage to both hands, according to her family and friends who are asking for help.

Authorities have charged Amelia resident James Lee Wolfe Sr., 29, with abduction, robbery, malicious wounding and other crimes in connection with the random attack. Wolfe remains in custody without bond.

Police said Wolfe broke into Anderson’s home, where she has lived alone for a decade, beat her, set the one-story dwelling on fire, and then ordered Anderson to withdraw $400 from an ATM in Chesterfield County. She was discovered by a motorist along Midlothian Turnpike last week and remains hospitalized.

Carolyn Greene, a longtime friend of Anderson’s, said the special education teacher is undergoing reconstructive surgery, has lost all her possessions to the fire inside her rented home and will likely be permanently injured from the attack.

All donations will be used to defray medical costs and to replace burned items in the home.

To help

Donations can be made to the Mary Anderson Support Fund in the following ways:

In person: Bank of Essex, 2320 Anderson Highway, Powhatan, VA 23139.

Online: Log on to www.maryandersonfund.org, where a Paypal account has been established.

By mail: Send checks or money orders to The Mary Anderson Support Fund, Box 133, 14241 Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian, VA 23113.