The quiet of a family’s short getaway turned to horror when a violent attack in a Kissimmee hotel room left a pregnant woman critically injured and her 5-year-old daughter deeply traumatized. Melinda Irizarry, stabbed 14 times during the Dec. 22 assault, is now recovering in stable condition, while police continue to search for one of the two alleged attackers involved.
The incident began hours earlier when Brianna Alvelo, a 22-year-old pizza delivery driver, delivered an order to Irizarry’s hotel room and became enraged over a $2 tip. Authorities allege that Alvelo returned later with a male accomplice, forced their way into the room, and unleashed a brutal attack. The accomplice, armed with a gun, locked Irizarry’s boyfriend in the bathroom and forced her daughter to witness the stabbing.
Irizarry’s injuries required over 200 staples and multiple surgeries to treat wounds to her chest, stomach, and back, as well as severed tendons in her knee and a punctured lung. Amid the medical ordeal, she learned she was one month pregnant, and doctors confirmed her fetus had miraculously survived the attack. Reflecting on the incident, Irizarry expressed heartbreak over its impact on her daughter, who was unharmed physically but remains deeply shaken.
Alvelo, who is being held without bond, faces charges including kidnapping, aggravated assault, and home invasion under statutes that could lead to a life sentence. During her first court appearance, the presiding judge made it clear that she would not be eligible for release. Meanwhile, police are actively pursuing her alleged accomplice, who remains at large. Irizarry voiced fear for her family’s safety, urging authorities to apprehend the suspect.
As Irizarry begins a long road to physical recovery, the psychological scars for her and her daughter loom large. “They’re monsters,” she said of her attackers. “They should not be out in the street.” The case has raised broader questions about violent crime and victim support, with advocates emphasizing the need for justice and rehabilitation for survivors of such traumatic events.
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