POLICE yesterday ruled out a link between the murder of Hongkong-Australian Karmein Chan four years ago and the beating of her mother this week.
Phyllis Chan was recovering last night from facial surgery for cuts she suffered after an attack outside her home in suburban Melbourne.
Police said Mrs Chan had provided fresh clues last night to the assault, which occurred early on Monday after she returned home from her restaurant.
The robber, wearing a balaclava, struck her about the head with a blunt instrument and fled with some of the restaurant takings after a short struggle.
Mrs Chan alerted neighbours before collapsing on the footpath in a pool of blood.
Mrs Chan, who has split up with her husband, John, has been trying to rebuild her life nearly four years after her 13-year-old daughter Karmein was abducted from the family's home.