BATON ROUGE – A teen was arrested for allegedly beating an 89-year-old man and 70-year-old woman with a hammer inside their Kenner home on Sunday.  

According to the Kenner Police Department, a man reported that his next door neighbor, living in the Woodlake Subdivision on Tenton Street, walked over to his home covered in blood asking for help for her and her husband. Officers arrived to find 89-year-old Phillip Lynch and 70-year-old Anita Lynch, severely beaten and police say the attack occurred around 3:30 p.m. 

Detectives found a hammer in the couple's home covered in blood and hair. Anita Lynch gave officers the name of a 16-year-old boy, who is acquainted with the couple, who had been in their home at the time of the attack. The couple's vehicle was also stolen, according to the police department. 

Later, the Baton Rouge Police Department reported that the stolen vehicle was involved in a crash there and the 16-year-old was detained. The teenager was interviewed by Kenner detectives and confessed to attacking the couple with a hammer and then stealing their vehicle. 

The 16-year-old was charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder, theft of a motor vehicle and aggravated burglary. The teen was transported to the Rivarde Detention Center and awaits a bond hearing. 

The couple remains in the hospital in critical condition, according to the Kenner Police Department. 

Kenner Police Chief Michael J. Glaser urges anyone with information concerning this incident to call Kenner Police Detective Nick Engler at (504) 712-2410.