A mother found her teenage trans son unconscious and fighting for his life after being beaten in a suspected hate crime
Black trans man Kristian Rouse has a long road to recovery after an attack that nearly cost him his life. (Gofundme)
Police are investigating a brutal attack on Kristian Rouse, a Black trans teen who was almost beaten to death in his own apartment.
Kristian Rouse, 18, was found unconscious by his mother and ex-girlfriend on May 13. He has no memory of the attack that left him in intensive care for almost a month.
“My child was laying on the floor. He could barely speak, barely breathe,” his mother, Euryduce Darrington, told NBC17 News.
“He had marks around his neck, his face was swollen, he had bruises on his torso and his back and his shirt was off. He’s transgender and that is not a nice thing to do.”
Darrington says her son usually called her everyday to tell her he was safe. When she didn’t hear from him she became concerned, so she and his ex-girlfriend headed to his apartment in Southwest Bakersfield, California to check on him.
“We kept banging on the door. She [his ex-girlfriend] jumped over the gate for the balcony and could see him there.”
Kristian Rouse was on a ventilator for four weeks.
Darrington told investigators that she had one of the apartment complex’s maintenance employees to open the unit’s front door.
Kristian Rouse was rushed to hospital and placed on a ventilator for four weeks. He’s now in a long term acute care hospital in Covina, where he’s working on regaining full movement of his leg and arm. He is still unable to speak due to scar tissue in his throat from being intubated.
As Rouse can’t remember any details of the vicious attack, anyone with information is urged to call police on (661) 327-711.
His family desperately need financial assistance to cover their medical expenses and has set up a fundraiser for his recovery.
“Kristian so appreciates the love and support that he is receiving and so do I,” his mother wrote on the fundraising page. “Kristian is my sweet and precious baby boy and this ordeal has been a terrible nightmare for both of us. Kristian is a warrior and he is fighting every day to get better.
“He has an EXTREMELY tough and VERY long road to recovery ahead. Please continue to send positive energy and love for him and this Mommy whose heart is shattered in a million pieces.”
Black transgender people face disproportionate levels of violence. So far in 2020 at least 16 trans people (mostly of colour, many Black) have been killed.
