MIAMI (WSVN) — The Miami woman who was nearly beaten to death by a roommate she met on Craigslist made her first public appearance in court since leaving the hospital, Friday.
According to investigators, Danielle Jones was attacked by Byron Mitchell, in February. Police said the beating was so severe that she was in a coma for more than three weeks.
However, Mitchell did not show up for the routine hearing Jones’ attorney, Jaime Peters, speculated it was due to the publicity surrounding the case. “As disgusting as the facts are in this case, he doesn’t want to be seen,” said Peters.
Regardless, Friday marked a major milestone in Jones journey through recovery.
For the first time since she left the hospital, Jones gathered up the courage to appear in court and re-live her traumatic experience. “He didn’t even want me to be alive,” she said about Mitchell.
Jones was in a coma for more than three weeks, and doctors were unsure of her future. “I feel good,” she said. “I’m just happy that I’m alive because I didn’t expect to be alive, so I’m happy about that.”
Earlier this year, Jones met Mitchell on Craigslist. After an interview, she lived with him for a short period of time. “When I met him, he looked really nice,” she said. “I met him at an interview. I looked at his resume and everything. He seemed really nice. His resume said that he went to college and that he was in the military.”
On March 16, 7News interviewed Jones and her mother outside of the hospital. Jones could not walk, her speech was labored and all her mother could do was ask for the community to pray for her daughter’s recovery.
On Friday, her attorney mentioned her miraculous recovery. “It is obviously an act of God,” said Peters. “Everyone was worried. We didn’t know if she was going to make it. But, wow, it is a walking, talking miracle. I wanted the judge to know, ‘Hey, look who’s here.'”
The case will go to trial on Sept. 6.
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