The woman said her son, who has autism and is nonverbal, was attacked while they walked to a school bus stop.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Police are searching for a suspect after a mother and her 12-year-old son were struck with a blunt object Tuesday morning while walking in a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood, authorities said.
The attack was reported about 7:30 a.m. in the 1000 block of Northwest Fifth Avenue, according to Fort Lauderdale police. Both victims were taken to Broward Health Medical Center with injuries that police said were not life-threatening. The suspect fled before officers arrived, and police had not announced an arrest by Wednesday.
Detective Kerri Hagerty said the mother and son were approached from behind by an unknown person who struck both of them. Police said the woman suffered a cut to the back of her head, while the boy suffered an abrasion to his face. The mother, identified in local interviews only as Chrissy, said she had been walking her son to a bus stop when the attack began. “Some guy just comes behind us, out the blue,” she said. She said her son is disabled, nonverbal and has autism.
Chrissy said the attacker first targeted her son, then struck her after she stepped between them. She described the object as heavy and said it appeared to be a mallet, cane or bat. Police have described it only as a blunt object. Chrissy said her son also suffered internal damage to one eye but was not blinded. Officials have not released the suspect’s name, age, description or possible motive. Police also have not said whether surveillance video captured the attack or whether investigators have identified witnesses.
The attack happened in a residential part of Fort Lauderdale during the morning commute, when children and parents are often heading to school or work. Chrissy said she and her son had moved into their apartment less than a week earlier. She said the sudden violence left her frightened about leaving home and angry that her son was hurt in broad daylight. “You can’t attack a child, especially a kid who’s 12 years old and a woman and get away with it,” she said.
The case remains an assault investigation, police said. No charges had been announced because no suspect had been publicly identified or arrested. Investigators are asking people with information to contact the Fort Lauderdale Police Department or Broward Crime Stoppers. Police said the attacker left the area before officers reached the scene. It was not immediately clear Wednesday whether investigators believe the attack was random beyond the mother’s account, or whether the suspect had any prior contact with the victims.
Chrissy said she pushed the attacker away after he struck her son and tried to keep him from swinging again. She said the man showed no remorse and appeared ready to continue the attack. The mother said witnesses did not stop the suspect before he left. Her account added the first public detail from the victims after police confirmed the basic timeline and injuries. The boy and his mother were later released from the hospital.
Police had not released additional suspect information as of Wednesday. The next step in the case is identifying the person who fled from the 1000 block of Northwest Fifth Avenue after the 7:30 a.m. attack.
Author note: Last updated July 8, 2026.