Franklin Township, New Jersey teen assaulted; police hunt for suspect

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP (WABC) -- Police are searching for the suspect in a violent assault that left a young New Jersey woman in critical condition.

There is heavy police presence on Vanderbilt Street in Somerset, after responding to a home at 6:30 Saturday morning.

Police found an 18-year old outside the home. Authorities say she was suffering from a significant head injury, lacerations and stab wounds to her arms and upper torso. After searching her bedroom, investigators found obvious signs of a physical altercation.

The teen was home alone during the assault, but somehow managed to stagger to a neighbor's house for help. As surgeons struggle to try to save her life, investigators are left wondering who would do something like this.

Neighbor Santos Aviles served in Afghanistan and wishes he knew his young neighbor had been home by herself because he would have kept an eye on her.

"If she was home by herself one of us at least could have checked up on her, see if she was doing good," said Aviles.

So far, the only clue police have is that the family's vehicle is now missing, and may have been stolen after the attack. They are looking for a 2009 black four-door Mazda with New Jersey license plate: YHX-85W.

Detectives say the driver may be armed and dangerous, which leaves residents of the neighborhood extremely nervous.

Eyewitness News is told the house was a mess, which is consistent with a fierce fight. It is not clear if anything else was stolen.

Anyone with information regarding the assault or the vehicle's location is asked to contact the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-2300, the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100, or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers' Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477), or online at http://www.888577tips.org or http://www.scpo.net and click on either "Crime Stoppers" or "TIPS HOTLINE". All Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.