The parents of a Ballard girl are asking for justice after their daughter was brutally attacked with a baseball bat August 16.
The parents of Tiva, the victim of the attack, believe she was beaten because she is transgendered.
The attack was reported to police, but the Seattle Police Department said there is not an active investigation into the incident.
Tiva, whose age has not been released, was assaulted by another girl in Ballard at the intersection of 28
th Avenue NW and NW 67
th Street.
Tiva's assault resulted in a serious
head injury and her parents have told
My Ballard that their daughter is emotionally fragile since the attack.
Her parents, Tad and Cindy Anderson, spoke to My Ballard about the attack and are now seeking the public's assistance in finding their daughter's attacker.
"She has learning disabilities that can make it hard to interact with her, and she is transgender,†Tiva’s parents wrote in an email to neighbors, as reported by My Ballard. "It probably should have been obvious to us a long time ago, but this turns out to be a dangerous combination. Transgender people are the most likely to be harassed and Tiva is particularly vulnerable due to her limited social skills."
While the attack happened on August 16, Tiva did not go to the hospital until a few days later, according to the police report.
"The on-duty nurse at [the hospital] stated to me that [she] sustained a subdural hematoma. The symptoms appear slowly and [are] fatal if not attended to. A portion of [her]skull was removed for treatment of the injury,†the detective wrote in the police report referring to Tiva.
"Tiva is very reluctant to talk about the incident to us,†Tad Anderson told My Ballard. “We have learned through others that the woman who attacked her was also harassing her for dressing in female clothing, saying, 'You should not be wearing those clothes'."
What Tiva's parents know is that the attacker is a white female and they believe she may hang out around the skate park in Ballard.
"The female came up alongside [of her] and told her, 'I don't want to see you around the skate bowl anymore'," the police report states. "The female then struck [her] on the right side of the head with the baseball bat."
When police asked Tiva about the crime, she was "drifting in and out of sleep," the report stated. Tiva was questioned after having surgery in which part of her skull was removed to alleviate pressure from a subdural hematoma that was the result of her attack.
Police spokesman Mark Jamieson said the case is not being investigated as a hate crime because Tiva did not tell police she was attacked because she's transgender. He said he did not know if the police planned to interview Tiva again about the incident.
Tiva's parents contacted My Ballard to ask the public for any information they may have about the crime. They ask that anyone with information call the Seattle Police at 206- 625-5011 and reference case number 2011-273665.
Currently, the case is listed as inactive with the Seattle Police Department.
"Cindy and I are trying to assemble a team to help with her recovery," Tad Anderson told My Ballard. "To keep her safe in the future, and, generally, to try to rebuild her self-confidence and trust in others."