At the age of 90, Margaret Fine has faced danger before. A recent copperhead snakebite almost killed her. Hurricane Isabel destroyed her Baltimore County home. But Fine said a man who viciously assaulted her at an office is one fear that haunts her.
Even though the assailant, Frank Mahlman, was committed to Spring Grove mental institution for striking her in the head with a bag of rocks, he continues to escape the state-run facility ? most recently in October ? showing up at Fine?s home.
“He said he was going to kill me,” she said. “You remember something like that.
“At this point I am scared, because they said he is out again,” she added.
Mahlman was committed to the facility in 2001 after he attacked Fine at a Social Security office in Baltimore.
“He flailed the rocks around in this bag,” she recounted. “I tried to run away, but he knocked me down.”
Two quick-thinking Baltimore police officers nabbed Mahlman as he fled. But after being found “not criminally responsible” for first-degree assault and sent to Spring Grove, he has escaped the facility at least three times ? most recently on Oct. 22 ? appearing at Fine?s home in Baltimore County on several occasions.
“He comes and screams at me that he?s going to hurt me,” said the former psychologist, florist and teacher, who said she escapes in her car when he appears.
Spring Grove officials said Mahlman walked away from the mental institution after being granted freedom to roam the hospital grounds.
“Some patients when they do well, clinically, can earn grounds privileges,” said Dr. David Helsel, superintendent of the facility.
“He was on grounds privileges and probably walked away.”
Margaret Burns, spokesman for the Baltimore City state?s attorney office, said the agency was working with city police to locate Mahlman.
“We contacted the commander of the district where she lives so he would provide this information at roll call to be on the lookout for him,” she said.
“We are taking all precautions to protect her safety.”
Fine, who has temporarily relocated to an “active seniors” facility in Baltimore, said she prays every day that Mahlman does not find her.
“I pray a lot and go on.”
