ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – An alert has been issued for parents after a teen said she was attacked near her school bus stop in Altamonte Springs. That attacker is still on the loose and only Local 6 spoke to the teen's mother, Missy Isley.
Isley said her 18-year-old daughter was walking back to their apartment after she thought she missed the school bus.
"He came up from behind. She never saw it coming. She was frozen with fear and she's been that way since. He's still out there," says Isley.
Altamonte Springs police said the teen was attacked by an unknown man just feet away from her apartment.
"She came in after it happened screaming and crying, crawling through the door and my blood was cold," Isley told Local 6. "He came and grabbed her by the neck from behind and she begged for her life, and she said that she felt something in her side, it was sharp."
Police said the man threatened to kill the teen and then tried to assault her. Isley showed Local 6 a wooded area where she said her daughter's attacker was trying to take her. But the man let the teen go after a neighbor came outside.
"He has no idea he's our hero. He came out at 6:30 a.m. and spooked the guy off and that's what it took to get him to go," Isley said.
The man was described as about 6 feet tall, in his 20s, with a close-cut beard and a medium to large build. Isley believes the attack was planned well in advance.
"I'm angry he's still out there," Isley said. "He's going to do it again if he's not caught."
The victim also said the man was wearing a bright yellow shirt with the large caduceus symbol on the back of it.
Local 6 checked with Altamonte police and they said they've increased patrols in the area.
A witness also came forward on Wednesday saying she saw the attack.
"According to her she thought it was possibly horse play it was a very brief encounter that she saw," said Rob Pelton of Altamonte Springs police. "But once it was described to her she said yes indeed she saw this attack occur."
Anyone with information concerning this crime is encouraged to call police at 407-571-8272 or 407-339-2441. Anonymous tips may also be phoned into Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS.