Tina Marie McNeil and her husband James McNeil
Tina Marie McNeil and her husband, James McNeil, say burglars kicked open their back door and knocked out a window pane at their home last week.
Tina McNeil was in the shower when she heard all the commotion. She put on a robe and opened the bathroom door.
"When I opened the door, this man had a gun to my head and said, 'give me all your money,' and I'm like - what money . I don't have any money," said Tina Marie McNeil.
She says the burglar led her into the living room, where another person was attacking her 15-year-old son. McNeil says her motherly instincts kicked in to help her son.
McNeil explained, " I picked up the phone and I took it to the man's back and went like this and I went really hard down on his back and I was like please get off my son, please get off my son."
A few minutes later, the burglars left.
"My stomach just fell and I didn't know what to do," said McNeil.
She calmed down enough to pick up the phone and call 911, but Marion police (http://www.marionsc.gov/residents/police/default.aspx) were already headed to her house.
McNeil didn't realize her 15-year-old son had already called 911 and hung up, prompting police to check the home.
James McNeil says he still can't believe his family was targeted.
"They figured we got money, but we ain't got nothing. We just surviving ever day, " said James McNeil.
What also surprises the McNeil's is that four of the suspects are teenagers.
James McNeil said, "Anytime someone enters your home knowing your family in there they got no regards for you, your safety or nothing else. They don't need to be at large so they won't hurt anyone else."
All of the suspects are in custody and face burglary charges. The teenagers are in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice, and their names have not been released because of their ages. (http://www.state.sc.us/djj/)
The McNeils say what happened to their family is unfortunate, but they're thankful no one was seriously hurt.
"I'm really glad. I'm thanking my lucky stars, " said Tina McNeil.
Police say they still have not recovered the gun used in the burglary.
Last week, the McNeils called NewsChannel 15 to look into the burglary.
