A routine afternoon at a Miami soccer field turned terrifying for a mother who says she was suddenly attacked while watching her son play.
Karen Giraldo was at a soccer game at Little Haiti Soccer Park on Aug. 23 when, according to her account, a man she did not know approached her without warning. She said he then pulled out a large kitchen knife and attacked her.
Giraldo said she immediately feared she would not survive.
She was at the field with her son when the attack happened. In the chaos that followed, parents and children moved away from the area as Giraldo tried to protect herself. She said she threw herself to the ground during the assault.
An arrest report says officers later found Giraldo with a stab wound to her upper right buttocks. Witnesses told investigators that the suspect approached her, pulled an object from his waistband and began stabbing her before walking away from the park.
One witness followed the man after he left the field and helped police locate him near Northeast First Avenue and 64th Street, according to the report.
Police identified the suspect as Jayson Suprinvil, 31. He was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Authorities also said he was wanted as a fugitive from another county, and a judge denied him bond.
For Giraldo, however, the legal case is only part of what she is dealing with.
She said the attack has left her shaken and that she has needed psychological support. Taking her son back to soccer has also become difficult because the place that once felt like an ordinary part of their routine now reminds her of what happened.
Giraldo said she wants answers about how the attack could happen at a field where children and families had gathered. Her attorney, Alexis Gonzalez Athos, said they are looking into the security measures at the location and what those responsible for the facility may have known about safety concerns.
The incident has also raised questions about security at public recreational spaces where parents regularly bring their children for sports and other activities.
Investigators’ account indicates that the attack was sudden. A second witness told detectives they heard yelling and later saw the suspect walking away while carrying or placing a large knife in his waistband.
Giraldo says she is trying to move forward one day at a time. Despite the fear and unanswered questions, she remains grateful that she survived the attack and was able to be there for her son.
A GoFundMe campaign has also been created to help Giraldo with her recovery and related expenses.
The case remains a painful reminder for Giraldo of how quickly an ordinary family outing can change. For her, the priority now is recovering, protecting her son and finding out whether additional security could help prevent another family from experiencing something similar.
