Woman, 74, Stabbed 20 Times in Home; Youth Arrested : Crimes: Police say she was handcuffed to a drain pipe in kitchen of her Reseda house. She undergoes surgery and is expected to live. The suspect lives nearby.

Los Angeles police arrested a 17-year-old boy Thursday in the attack on an elderly woman who was stabbed 20 times with a butcher knife and handcuffed to a drain pipe in the kitchen of her Reseda home, apparently during a robbery.

Edith Aline Rose, 74, was able to whisper the name of her assailant to officers before she underwent surgery for stab wounds to her hands, neck and torso, LAPD Detective Rick Swanston said. Rose was listed in critical condition Thursday evening, but was expected to live.

Armed with the crucial lead, police arrested a teen-ager who lived nearby, Swanston said. The boy, whose name was not released because he is a juvenile, was taken into custody at a Reseda fast-food restaurant where he worked. He was expected to be booked on attempted murder charges.

“We believe she knew the youth,” Swanston said. “They were neighbors.”

Rose has lived alone in the house in the 18200 block of Strathern Street since her husband died several years ago, residents said.

Her alleged assailant lives about a block away in the 8000 block of Wynne Avenue, police said. Neighbors described him as a “quirky” teen-ager who moved into the neighborhood just a few months ago and often rode his bike up and down the street.

Swanston said his investigators believe the stabbing occurred early Thursday afternoon. Shortly before 3 p.m., a neighbor, concerned because he had not seen Rose all day, climbed through an unlocked window and found her semiconscious and bleeding from numerous stab wounds. A butcher knife was recovered at the scene.

The attack on Rose came near the end of a year marked by violence against elderly residents in the San Fernando Valley.

In October, a house fire led police to the discovery of Berneda McMackin, 77, who had been fatally beaten and stabbed inside her Van Nuys home. A few days later and a few miles away, Aliza Levi, 72, died in a similar fashion after startling a burglar.

It appeared robbery was the motive for the attack against Rose, police said.

“We believe some property was taken,” Swanston said. He declined to elaborate on what items were stolen, the nature of Rose’s relationship with the youth or whether he had confessed to the stabbing.

Residents of the close-knit neighborhood were shocked by Thursday’s attack.

“She is a sweetheart of a gal,” said Rick Kahana, 37, another neighbor and friend. “I can’t imagine anybody would want to hurt her.”

Anthony Federico, who has lived next door to Rose for 32 years, said the elderly woman lived a quiet life, and worked as a caretaker at the church across the street from her home where she attended services. She had her own set of keys to the church, Federico said.

“I don’t think she has an enemy in the whole world,” said Federico, a 69-year-old retired restaurateur. “Whoever did this is a crazy, desperate person. I am sick about this.”