Woman, 26, sexually assaulted in Willowbrook home, police say

WILLOWBROOK, Ill. (WLS) -- A woman is in intensive care after she was beaten, stabbed and sexually assaulted inside her own home in the western suburbs, police say.

Police are searching for the attacker as the woman fights for her life in a hospital.

Police say around 1 p.m. Saturday a man approached the woman's door in suburban Willowbrook, asked for a favor and when she refused, he then forced his way in and began stabbing her with a knife.

"There's a guy on the loose that's a real animal out there," said the victim's father, whose identity is being withheld in order to protect the woman's privacy. "If they would see my daughter, they would understand."

Police are continuing their investigation into the details, but the victim's father said the man went to the door and asked to use the phone before forcing his way in.

The suspect then started to attack the 26-year-old woman, who was home alone at the time. He stabbed her 16 times, causing several fractured bones in her face. Her father also said the man sexually assaulted her.

"She's really beat up," he said. "It was a very brutal. Several stab wounds to the face and torso, punches to the face."

The victim's father says the woman eventually got away and ran across the street, naked and bleeding profusely from her injuries. A neighbor called 911.

The victim was apparently able to see her attacker enough to provide investigators with a description.

"We're just praying as a family right now that the police would do their very best to catch this guy," the victim's father said.

Police say the victim and other witnesses describe the suspect as an African American man around 5-foot-10 weighing between 160-180 lbs. He is around 30-years-old and had his hair pulled back with dread type of curls on the ends.

The suspect's vehicle is described as brown or blue older Nissan Altima with dark tinted windows, no front license plate and a sun visor.

The woman remains in intensive care at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, and police say she will meet with a sketch artist Sunday.

Anyone with information on the suspect's identity is asked to call investigators at 630-325-2808 or 630-325-2121.