POMPANO BEACH – A woman, whose family is accused of beating and blinding a gay man, has bonded out of jail and says they are innocent of the allegations.
Inna Makarenko was released from an immigration detention facility over the weekend on $10,000 bond.
“We were very happy in this country,” she told CBS4’s Karli Barnett. “But our happiness was broken March 10.”
That is the date Inna Makarenko was arrested, along with her son, Oleh, and husband, Yehven.
She said her husband and son were arrested first, and when she went to the Broward Sheriff’s Office to learn what happened, she was arrested, as well.
They are accused of brutally beating a gay man in his Pompano Beach apartment last August, who says he is now permanently blind. The 31-year-old is not being named due to Marsy’s Law. At first, he told police he was drunk and fell down. Then, six months later, he reported he was attacked.
“He was really a victim from August until February,” said Inna. “But in February, when he came to the police and said it was me and my family who beat him, he became a liar, not victim.”
Inna’s other son, Vladyslav, was arrested while in Alabama, but charges were dropped a few months later when investigators determined he was out of state.
“We have proof that my son was in another state, but this person told in his story that my son held him, so can you understand, little by little, open your eyes. Open your ears. This boy’s a liar,” she said.
According to arrest forms, the alleged victim said he was in a nine-month-long relationship with Oleh Makarenko and said his family got angry when they found out and came for him.
“I never heard about this person,” Inna said. “Maybe if it was some communication, maybe it was for some reason. I don’t know. I want so much to see my son to hug him and to give him some questions, because I don’t understand.”
Inna explained her son has a fiancée. She also said her family has no malice toward gay people.
“God loves everyone,” she said.
Inna also said they have witnesses that can vouch they were not at the alleged victim’s residence that night, because they were celebrating her daughter’s birthday party.
“The rule is not working here. Be good, do good, and you will be fine. No,” she said. “One day, someone can just point a finger on you and police can catch you, even without evidence or anything.”
The Makarenko’s came to the U.S. from Ukraine seeking asylum in 2016. Their next hearing is August 5th to determine their status.