By … Hours After Arriving in Los Angeles to Start New Life, a Second Victim Survives Attack by Same Suspect
A woman who had just moved to Los Angeles to begin a new chapter in her life has died after being in a coma for nearly two months following a brutal rape in Venice Beach. Sarah Alden, 53, was declared brain-dead earlier this week after being attacked on April 6, just hours after moving into her new apartment.
Alden, a mother of two sons, was assaulted while walking along the Venice Beach canals in Southern California. The vicious attack left her severely injured, leading to a coma that she never recovered from. Tragically, she was not the only victim that night. Mary Klein, 54, was also attacked by the same suspect, suffering serious injuries but surviving the ordeal.
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Anthony Francisco Jones, was arrested by police on April 11. Authorities confirmed that both attacks had a sexual component. “The level of brutality that was engaged in was very reprehensible,” said L.A. County District Attorney George GascĂłn.
Surveillance footage captured Jones near the canals carrying a bottle of liquor, which was believed to have been used in the attack. Alden had just signed a lease for her apartment earlier in the day and was planning to surprise friends at a brunch the following day. Those plans were cut short by the horrific assault that ultimately led to her death.
Alden remained in a coma until she was declared brain dead, and she was surrounded by friends and family when doctors took her off life support. Her organs will be donated to help save the lives of others. A tribute to Alden described her as a lover of sunrises on the east coast and sunsets on the west coast, who adored her two sons and had a refined eye for vintage jewelry.
Jones faces multiple charges, including forcible rape, torture, attempted murder, mayhem, sexual penetration by use of force, and sodomy by use of force. “Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the victim’s family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,” said the DA’s office. “Our office is evaluating how we will proceed to ensure the defendant is held fully accountable for his conduct.”
Cynthia King, a friend of Alden, expressed her shock and grief: “It’s very sudden and shocking. She was extremely intelligent, well-educated and witty. She was stolen from us. I feel like I’m in an alternate reality. This isn’t even real.”
A GoFundMe campaign to help Alden’s family with medical and funeral expenses has raised $24,000.
Mary Klein, the second victim, barely remembers the vicious assault that left her with a fractured jaw, missing teeth, and extensive bruising. “It was like being hit by a truck,” she told KTLA. “My teeth got knocked out. My jaw is wired shut. He bashed my face in… I think he was trying to kill me.”
Klein, a single mother and professional home healthcare nurse, was attacked around 10:30 p.m. while walking home. Her injuries include a fractured jaw, broken teeth, multiple contusions, and a large gash on the back of her head. Facing a lengthy recovery that will require multiple surgeries, Klein’s GoFundMe campaign has raised $100,000. The fundraiser notes that Klein’s health insurance had dropped her just a week before the attack, and she was in the process of securing new coverage when the assault occurred.
Klein’s son, Robert, expressed relief at Jones’ arrest but questioned why such a “predator” was able to walk the streets. “I want predators and violent attackers to be held accountable, have longer sentences, and just not be out on the streets with our family members.”
Klein hopes her attacker will be sentenced to life in prison and called for local officials to prioritize tackling homelessness and drug abuse in Southern California. Her GoFundMe campaign aims to cover additional facial reconstruction and a home security system, noting the uncertainty about her ability to return to work and the risk of losing her rental home in Venice.
“Many may know her for the wonderful sand art she builds in Venice for all the events,” the fundraiser states.
Source: Dailymail
