Woman wakes from 24-day coma after attack by Craigslist roommate

Danielle Jones placed an ad on Craigslist for a roommate to help with rent in her small Miami apartment.

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In her ad, she said she was willing to share her room or have a roommate in the living room for $400 a month.

The Miami Herald reported that she found Byron Mitchell, a fitness trainer, on Craigslist.

The 35-year-old moved in a week before her Feb. 13 birthday.

Jones' mother, Aimee Nikolov, said that Jones was on the phone with her father while Mitchell moved in, but the pair did not spend any time together until Valentine's Day, when Jones invited a friend over to her house.

Jones, her friend and Mitchell stayed up late, drinking from a bottle of wine Jones' friend brought.

The friend left at 8:30 a.m.

KFOR reported that some time after the friend left, Jones was attacked by Mitchell.

"She has scars everywhere, around her eyes, lips, Kaitlin Cabot, the victim's cousin, told WTVJ. "She has slashes all down her head."

Nikolov said that Mitchell called 911 after attacking Jones.

"What he said in his original police report is that she attempted to come at him with a knife three times, and what he did, he did in self-defense," said Nikolov. "He admits to banging her head against the floor, he admits to choking her."

Mitchell was arrested Feb. 15 and charged with attempted murder.

Jones woke up from a coma March 3, 24 days after the attack.

She smiled, flashing a chipped tooth, and hugged her brother.

"I feel like I can breathe again," Nikolov said.

According to police, Mitchell said he was in a relationship with Jones, but Nikolov disputes that, saying her daughter stayed with her brother, Jones' uncle, the week Mitchell was at her apartment.

Cabot set up a GoFundMe page for her cousin for care and rehabilitation costs. It has raised over $35,000.