Mom: Josie Ratley Doing Great, Eyes Opening

Mother of beating victim worried for long-term recovery of teen

The distraught mother of Josie Lou Ratley said the teen continues to improve three weeks after she suffered a vicious attack outside her Deerfield Beach Middle School which left her in a coma.

"She's doing great, she's moving and her eyes are opening," Hilda Gotay Ratley said during an appearance on Wednesday's "Today Show."

Ratley fought back tears as she described her daughter's condition, saying the 15-year-old hasn't recognized her or anyone else.

"She doesn't respond to commands yet," she said, adding that they won't know if there was permanent damage done until she recovers a bit more.

Ratley spoke to local reporters in depth after the "Today" interview.

"I don't know how she's going to turn out , I don't know and that's my biggest fear," Ratley said after the "Today" appearance.

Josie Ratley has spent the past 21 days in a medically induced coma at Broward general Medical Center, her body severely bruised and swollen.

Earlier this week, her coma inducing drugs were reduced, and just yesterday it was learned that she was finally breathing on her own, without the help of a ventilator.

Asked if she was worried her daughter would fully recover, Ratley responded: "Sure I'm worried, I want my baby the way she was."

Arrested and charged with beating her is 15-year-old Wayne Treacy, who was in court Tuesday for a hearing to lift a gag order in his case.

Treacy has been in a juvenile detention center since the March 17 attack in which police said Ratley was punched, knocked to the ground and had her head repeatedly slammed on the concrete by Treacy, who stomped on the girl with his steel-toed boots.

Treacy became enraged, police said, when Ratley sent him a text message mentioning his brother who had committed suicide last October.

After Tuesday's hearing, Treacy's attorney, Russell Williams, said Treacy is distraught over the attack and concerned for Ratley.

"He is for lack of a better word a mess right now, he hasn't really understood the entire concept of what is going on," Williams said. "He is absolutely devastated and extremely concerned right now for Josie."

Hilda Ratley said the concern expressed by Williams is little comfort.

"It was the lawyer, I have not heard any apology from the family at all," Hilda Gotay said. "I know their concern is their child...do they have any remorse, do they have any feelings, do they think about Josie?"

"I would like to hear them tell Josie that they are sorry," Ratley said. "And the boy to say he was sorry also, that what he's done is awful."

Ratley said that when her daughter recovers, she won't be going back to Deerfield Beach Middle School.

"I don't feel safe, Josie will not be attending regular school again, she'll be home schooled," she said.

Ratley, who has frequently visited her daughter and brought her a big Easter basket this past Sunday, said she's going to stay by her side until she recovers.

"I want to let my baby know that I'm here for her and I love her and I'm gonna try my best to give her the most protection I can so this doesn't happen to her again," she said.

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