The family of a 12-year-old Wisconsin girl who was stabbed 19 times by two classmates last month is asking supporters to wear purple, the young girl’s favorite color, Tuesday as she recovers.
The girl was released from the hospital Friday where family members say she continues to improve.
“Since coming home, our daughter has enjoyed spending time outside and getting fresh air as well as running a few quick errands with her mom. She spent time watching many episodes of “Full House” alongside her “guard pets”, which consist of a family dog and two cats,” the family said in a statement. “Like any older sister, she has also managed to continue teasing her younger brother.”
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The family asked supporters to wear purple, “the color for hope, love, and compassion,” Tuesday and post a photo to the Hearts for Healing Facebook page, which is helping to raise funds for the family. Supporters can also send pictures via Twitter using the hashtag #heartsforhealing.
“Our daughter has already received dozens of purple hearts, along with other care packages, letters and well wishes, and for this, we can't thank the community enough,” the statement read. “Our focus moving forward is to relax, bond and establish a “new normal” together as a family. We know that we have a long road ahead but will recover from this in time.”
Police in Waukesha say two friends, also 12, lured the girl into the woods May 31, where one held her down while the other stabbed her 19 times, in an attack apparently inspired by a fictional internet character. The victim was stabbed in the torso, legs and arms but was able to crawl out of the woods to a road, where she was discovered by a passing bicyclist.
Both suspects in the stabbing face adult charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, as a party to a crime. If convicted, they could each serve 65 years in prison.
A criminal complaint charging the girls says they were trying to pay tribute to the fictional character Slender Man when they committed the crime. The complaint says the girls believed the character was real.
