A murder trial is taking place following the death of Teresa Ryan in a house fire in North Ormesby in July last year.
David McCabe, of Barrington Crescent, Thorntree, Middlesbrough, has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
The 32-year-old is this week on trial at Teesside Crown Court.
The trial of David McCabe, who denies the murder of Teresa Ryan, begins its second day at Teesside Crown Court.
Steven Hodgman, Ms Ryan's son, said her Huntington's disease affected her physically and mentally, her movement and speech.
He went to her North Ormesby home on July 9, her 50th birthday, to find her home had been burgled.
Her television, phone, charm bracelet and bank cards had been taken.
She had not reported it to the police so he reported it and rang the landlord to fix the front door, which had been forced.
He celebrated his mum's birthday at the Central Park restaurant that evening, and she seemed fine.
Under questioning from defence QC Toby Hedworth, he says he enquired about assisted living for her.
He says she had falls and he thought she needed help with housework, but she was still independent.
He said she ended up In hospital "quite a few years ago" after she dropped a cigarette and her bedding caught fire.
She had been persecuted by local kids after she told them to get off some scaffolding, the jury hears.
She told him on July 9 that someone had kicked her door in and she tried to chase them off as they made off on a bike.
She fell pursuing the culprit, grazed her elbows and cut her nose.
Mr Hodgman says if she had known who it was, he would have expected her to tell him.
David Hodgman, Ms Ryan's other son, went to her home on the evening of July 9 and was told about a burglary.
He says her television, handbag, purse, phone and jewellery had been stolen.
She took a handbag to the restaurant containing house keys, cigarettes, purse and phone.
He dropped her home at 9.50pm.
He says: "She said when she got in the house she was going to hide the bag under the mattress."
"She was afraid in case somebody burgled the house again."
The court is now hearing evidence from fire investigator Noel Cornforth.
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