Updated Tuesday, March 3 11:47 a.m.
A housekeeper was kidnapped, beaten and burned by the Bayside couple she worked for as they accused her of stealing money and jewelry from their home and threatened to kill her if she didn’t return the goods, police said.
The 54-year-old victim’s employers, Devanand and Ambar Lachman, and a third unknown person confronted her inside the couple’s 217th Street residence at about 1 p.m. on Feb. 13, claiming that she took their money and a gold chain.
In an apparent attempt to make the housekeeper, Daisy Machuea, confess, they burned her leg with what was possibly a plumber’s torch, police said. They also punched her repeatedly in the face and body.
The wife then went to Machuea’s Port Washington, Long Island, home to search for the stolen goods but came up empty-handed, authorities said. She then returned to her Bayside home and all four drove back to the housekeeper’s Port Washington residence around 9 p.m. The trio, who also possessed several knives and a pistol during the kidnapping, told Machuea they would return the next day and if she didn’t have the money they would kill her.
Once they were gone, Machuea called the cops and her employers were arrested at their home.
Devanand, 32, and Ambar, 31, have both been charged with assault, kidnapping and criminal possession of a weapon. As of their most recent court appearance on Monday, Devanand remains held on bail and his wife, who is pregnant according to published reports, is out on $50,000 bail, prosecutors said.
Machuea was treated at an area hospital for burns to her face and legs, and bruising to her body.
Police are still looking for the Lachmans’ accomplice, described as a dark-skinned man, 30 to 35 years old, 6 feet tall and with a medium build.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or can text their tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
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