Mother Pleads for Justice
A Fort Lauderdale mother is speaking publicly after she and her 12-year-old autistic son were allegedly assaulted by a stranger during their morning walk to a school bus stop, an attack that has left the family shaken and prompted an ongoing police investigation.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning in the area of Northwest Fifth Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. According to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, the mother and her son were walking to the bus stop when an unknown man approached them from behind and allegedly struck both of them before fleeing the scene.
The boy, who is nonverbal and has autism, suffered facial injuries during the assault. His mother sustained a head injury while attempting to shield her son from the attacker. Both were transported to a local hospital, treated for injuries that were not considered life-threatening, and later released.
The mother said the attack appeared to happen without warning or provocation. She recalled that the suspect directed comments toward her son before becoming violent, despite the two having no known connection to the man.
As she tried to intervene and protect her child, she was also struck. She said the experience has been especially difficult because her son is unable to communicate verbally or defend himself.
The family had recently moved to the neighborhood, and the mother said she never expected something so violent to occur during a routine walk to school. Since the attack, she says both she and her son have struggled emotionally, and she now fears for their safety whenever they leave home.
Police have not announced any arrests or released a detailed description of the suspect. Investigators continue to search for the individual responsible and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
The mother hopes that by sharing her family’s story, someone will recognize the suspect and help bring the case to a resolution. She says she wants accountability not only for herself, but for her son, who was targeted despite being one of the community’s most vulnerable residents.
Fort Lauderdale police continue to investigate the assault. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the department or Broward Crime Stoppers anonymously.
