NEW ORLEANS — It was a frightening moment for a woman who was parked in The Marigny after a business meeting in the French Quarter. She says she was attacked and carjacked by two teenagers. This was not even 24 hours before a NOCCA mom was attacked while waiting to pick up her child from school.
It was already dark Thursday when she walked to her car. She was parked in a lot on Elysian Fields.
"Parked there like 1,000 times," the victim said.
She asked to hide her identity, but said it was around 8:30 p.m. when she got in, started her car, and was getting ready to head home but took a moment to text her dad.
"I always lock my door when I get in the car and this time I just didn't," she said.
What happened next, happened fast. She saw two teenagers right outside her driver's side window.
"Before I could even think to do anything or hit the lock button, they pulled the door open," she said.
One of them punched her.
"Just nailed me right in the face," she said. "I just went into fight mode. I started punching kicking, screaming and the person grabbed hold of my legs and started dragging me out of the car and grabbing at my clothes."
The victim remembers them throwing her out, jumping in, and driving off. Police showed up within minutes. After the NOCCA incident the next day, they arrested two 13-year-old boys.
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"The NOPD really showed up for me, they did," she said.
Police found her car damaged and abandoned Friday. Meanwhile, she was left with swollen lips, scrapes, and bruises.
"Just feeling all of that evidence from such a violent altercation just added to my anxiety," she said.
The next day, about a half a mile away at NOCCA, a mother picking up her kid was assaulted and carjacked.
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"The hairs on my arms stood up because it sounded so similar to what happened to me the night before," she said.
Police have arrested teenagers in both cases and said there's a direct link.
"There's a group out here playing vehicular whack-a-mole essentially," she said.
This victim believes her attack is part of a much bigger problem.
"The crime element is just running the city right now," she said with frustration.
Through this though, she's seen good in others. People found and returned her phone and license.
"Just people going out of their way to do the right thing for someone without even knowing their circumstances," she said.
For that, she's thankful.
Police have identified three suspects in the NOCCA incident. They're 13, 14, and 16-years-old, according to NOPD.
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