One of two high school students who was brutally assaulted at Florida International University's Biscayne Bay campus earlier this month spoke out Wednesday to plead for help to find her attacker.
With a black eye and a cast on her arm, 15-year-old Isabela Perdomo spoke with reporters at a news conference on FIU's north campus. Perdomo and her friend and classmate, 16-year-old James Critz, were attacked by a man in a wooded area of the Biscayne Bay campus on Sept. 10.
"I think I went straight into survival mode at that point. I don’t remember, all I remember is being scared but not focusing on being scared, I just remember trying to get out of the situation as fast as possible," Perdomo said. “I was just thinking 'OK, let me try not to die.' I was thinking maybe he would throw us in the bed, I was trying to think of what his intentions were and how to get around them."
Perdomo suffered two gashes to her head, a fractured arm, hearing loss, skull fractures, and vision problems as a result of the attack. Critz also suffered numerous injuries, including a fractured skull.
Police have released a sketch of the suspect, who is described as a dark-skinned male around 16-18 years old. No arrests have been made.
"I want to catch him and get past it," Perdomo said.
Elizabeth Perdomo, Isabela's mother, said her daughter has attended numerous doctor's appointments and is still trying to get caught up on school work.
"I can’t believe this happened to my own child and this guy is out there and it could happen to someone else," she said. "We need to get this guy.”
A reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with info is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
