Police investigating brutal beating death of North Philadelphia woman

NORTH PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - "I just had a loss of my baby sister and whoever know who took her from us like this please come forward," sobbed Carol Burnett as she made a tearful plea after he sister was found dead Thursday afternoon.

Police say the 48-year old woman identified by family as RuthAnn Burnett was left severely beaten in the second floor bedroom of her home on the 3700 block of North Percy Street.

"We were friends. We grew up as children together so we've been friends for years," said Bernice Sanders. She walked to the victim's house this morning and saw one of her daughters outside.

"Her daughter was crying saying she couldn't find her mom and her door was unlocked. So they called the police and the police went in there and they broke in her bedroom door because the bedroom door was locked from the outside. They broke it and they found her in there," said Sanders.

Investigators remained on scene late into the evening as family gathered waiting for answers. The victim was a member of Solomon Temple Baptist Church where she was an usher and part of a food ministry every Wednesday.

"She would come outside and run and grab strange people and say come on you want a free bag of food? I can get it for you right now and take the people in," said Kevin Walker, a Deacon at the church.

People who know the victim describe her as having a heart of gold.

"She'd go to the bitter end to help you and you could do her wrong and she would not hold it against you. She would still try to help you," said Walker.

Avery Brown, a fellow church member said, "She's going to be missed. I just don't understand how this happened and my whole church family is hurt. The community is hurt."

Police have not released a motive for the murder. They also have not recovered a weapon used or a suspect.