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WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — The 12-year-old Wisconsin girl who police say was repeatedly stabbed by two classmates trying to curry favor with a fictional horror character has been walking hospital halls with her father and watching TV in her wheelchair, according to her family.
The girl's family posted an update on her condition on a fundraising website. Doctors previously told police the child was lucky to be alive because the knife just missed a major artery near her heart.
"Our little girl is a fighter and is making strides of improvement each and every day," her parents wrote on the website. "We appreciate your patience, love and support as we too are stunned and saddened by this tragedy."
The girl, who was stabbed 19 times, has been improving each day, her parents said. But they also said she gets overwhelmed easily "so we're going to try to limit visitors."
The website, which has a goal of $250,000, raised about $16,000 in less than a day for the girl's legal and medical bills.
Police have not identified her, and her parents asked friends to keep her name secret.
Her classmates told detectives the attack was an attempt to please Slender Man, a fictional character they found on a horror website. The two girls have been charged as adults with first-degree attempted homicide.
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