Victim was left blind after beating he says was due to a gay relationship with member of family
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – The victim of the brutal beating believes it happened to him because of his sexual orientation.
For the first time, a man talks about what happened, when the police say that the whole family brutally beat him because of his sexual orientation.
“Because I’m gay, yes,” the victim told Rosh Lowe of Local 10 News. “Because I’m gay, they think I turned his son into gay.”
As a result of that beating, the victim lost his sight.
“There’s nothing I can do medically for me,” he said. “The nerves were dead.”
According to police, Oleh Makarenko was in a nine-month homosexual relationship with the victim.
The relationship ended with the alleged lover being severely beaten by members of Makarenko’s family, according to the police.
Investigators say Makarenko’s family, who are Ukrainian immigrants, were furious when they learned they were in a gay relationship.
Authorities say the family broke into the victim’s home on August 6 and all four suspects began hitting him with their fists, legs and all over his face and body.
The mother of the family, Inna Makarenko, received a guarantee at the end of last month. The other three remain behind bars.
“He involved this family only seven months after the incident,” said lawyer Mike Glasser, who represents the Makarenko family, about the victim.
Authorities said the reason was that the alleged victim was afraid and did not want to get Oleh Makarenko in trouble.
He broke down as he talked about how his life was forced to change and how it affected his family.
“My mother depended on me and I am no longer able to help her,” he said. “Honestly, I don’t know how I can keep it together.”
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About the Author:
Rosh Lowe
Reporter Rosh Lowe has been covering the news for nearly two decades in South Florida. He joined Local 10 2021.
