Police release sketch of suspect in Willowbrook home invasion

WILLOWBROOK (FOX 32 News) -- A manhunt is underway after a woman was beaten, stabbed and sexually assaulted in the southwest suburbs. The assault happened in the middle of the afternoon on Saturday in Willowbrook.

The victim’s father says he's full of anger and rage for the person who did this.  Police say it appears to be random and they are on high alert.

The 26-year-old female victim is still in the hospital after being attacked in her childhood home.

“There's a man on the loose right now that has defiled my home and my family and pretty much robbed the peace that we had in here our sanctuary from us --- to the point where I have a family that doesn’t want to come back into this house ever again,” said Paul Schuster, the victim’s father.

The home sits mostly quiet now, some investigators still coming and going, but Saturday it was the scene of a vicious struggle between the victim and the intruder.

“I believe he is very dangerous. This woman went through quite a beating.  There were some stab wounds and this is something that we are not taking lightly,” said Willowbrook police Deputy Chief Mark Altobella.

Willowbrook police say they were able to work with the victim to create a sketch of the suspect and a description of the car, down to the Indiana license plate.

Police say Saturday the victim was in her driveway when the suspect pulled up and asked her for money.  She declined and went into the house.  Police say the man followed.

“He walked up to the door, knocked on the door, talked to her through a crack in the window and asked her if he could use the phone because he needed some gas to get back to Indiana,” said Deputy Chief Altobella.

The victim again declined, but police say the suspect busted through the back door.

The two began struggling and the suspect stabbed the victim multiple times, beat her and eventually sexually assaulted her.

Her father says she fought back to the point where he barely recognized her.

“When she opened her right eye and said dad I fought as hard as I could -- well that was probably the most humbling part of my life right there, knowing that my little baby had to fight for her life,” said Schuster.

Paul Schuster says that after the attack his daughter, covered in blood, ran to a neighbor's house for help.

“She knew how to get into the gate because there's a latch there that if you don’t know where it's at you don't get past that gate,” said Dan Courtney who aided the victim after she ran to his house. “I tried to console her and decipher what she was saying when she came in.”

Courtney says what happened is still hard to believe on his quiet Willowbrook street.

Now police scour that street asking for help - passing out flyers with the sketch of the possible suspect and her father sending out a cry for help.

“It doesn't feel like home anymore.  It feels dead.  All the beautiful lives that were raised here, that feeling is gone completely. It’s not here anymore -- its dirty and its bloody and I don't want my family to see this at all ever,” said Schuster.

Police shares a suspect description:

• African American male in his 30's
• 5’10” height
• 160-180 pounds weight
• Dark hair that is combed back with short dreadlocks
• Wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt, dark colored khaki shorts and white socks

Police have shared a vehicle description:

• 2006 dark blue Nissan Altima
• Tinted windows
• No front license plate
• Back license plate is a Bicentennial Indiana plate
• Visor near the sunroof

Officials say they have found the car belonging to the suspect Monday morning. According to a statement from police, the vehicle was found  on a very quiet street in Brookfield.

Police urge you to come forward if you know anything.

The victim remains in stable condition and family members say she is doing much better. They have started a GoFundMe account for medical expenses: http://www.gofundme.com/6S35QN8W

FOX 32's Joanie Lum contributed to this story.