Teen Accused Of Beating Lodi Woman With Baseball Bat At Dog Park
6 p.m. UPDATE: Her family has a promising update
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LODI (CBS13) — A Lodi woman underwent brain surgery after a brutal attack at a dog park left her in a coma.
A 17-year-old girl has been arrested in the baseball bat beating of Jacqueline Pickett, 22, on Monday at Beckman Dog Park
Pickett's mother knew something was wrong when Jacqueline's boyfriend called, saying she hadn't returned home from walking her dogs.
GOFUNDME: Funds for Jackie's Battle
"Something told me, something wasn't right. I pulled over and I set up a post, because I wanted quick action. I knew that's what counts," Amber Gomes said.
Her Facebook post about her missing daughter spread fast, and one person told her to check into what happened at the dog park. A stranger called Gomes and told her about the attack on someone with a white dog.
"I knew then, I knew that was my girl," she said.
Pickett was unconscious when police and paramedics found her at Beckman Park's dog park at 3 p.m. on Monday. She was rushed to San Joaquin County Hospital for surgery. Police say she had severe head trauma and believe Pickett was beaten in the head with a baseball bat.
"They had to remove a portion of her skull to reduce bleeding," Gomes said. "She had a dermal hematoma. They had to take a lot of blood off of her brain."
Police say a witness reported the attack. When police arrived at the park, they arrested a 17-year-old girl and charged her with attempted murder.
Pickett's family says at this time, they do not believe she knew her attacker, however, she did show signs of defensive wounds with fractures and bruises on her wrists and arms.
"In a way, it may have been random, but I have other feelings," Gomes said. "This was something that someone planned. Who goes to a beautiful dog park on the west side of Lodi with a baseball bat and attacks a woman walking her dogs?"
The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office has until Thursday to determine whether to charge the teen as an adult.