Thursday, 4:30 PM
Woman dies after Malden home attack
By Stephanie Peters, Globe Staff
A 62-year-old woman who was attacked yesterday in her home on a quiet street in Malden has died, law enforcement officials said.
The attack on the woman, Zhen Q. Xie, reported shortly before 2 p.m. yesterday, shocked neighbors on quiet Orient Street in the Watts Mount neighborhood.
Xie was discovered bleeding and sufffering from severe blunt trauma to the head. She was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead early this morning.
Authorities said they had launched a homicide investigation. "I assure you that we are following all possible leads to apprehend the person responsible for this brutal crime," said Middlesex District Attorney Gerard Leone.
Neighbors said Xie was a hard-working, feisty grandmother who lived with her daughter and three granddaughters.
The woman had sustained head injuries, law enforcement officials said last night.
