A woman in Florida was fighting for her life on Tuesday after her boyfriend set her on fire, leaving her with burns over 99% of her body.
The unnamed victim was attacked by the suspect in the mobile home the couple shared. He then proceeded to pour an unspecified flammable liquid all over her and ignited it with a cigarette, a local prosecutor said.
The suspect, Noe Jimenez-Cortez, 40, was charged with attempted murder and arson for the brutal attack in North Lauderdale on Monday afternoon, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Broward sheriff’s deputies found the horrifically burned woman near the 4300 block of Northwest 54th Street in the Lauderdale Mobile Home Park at about 4:30 pm, the newspaper reported. Despite her injuries, the woman was able to explain that her boyfriend had intentionally set her on fire, authorities said.
At a bond hearing Tuesday, Broward Assistant State Atorney Alix Buckelew said the victim’s condition was grave.
“I think the court should know that the doctors do not expect this victim to survive her injuries,” Buckelew said. “She was burned on 99% of her body. The only two places on her body that weren’t burned were the soles of her feet and one part of her ankle.”
Investigators also have surveillance video of incident, Buckelew said in court.
Jimenez-Cortez was ordered held without bond in the Broward County Jail.
The victim, whose identity was not disclosed, was hospitalized in critical condition Monday night.
When Jimenez-Cortez was arrested Monday evening, detectives learned he had already made plans to leave South Florida.
“He did have a bus ticket to Mexico,” Buckelew said.
Jimenez-Cortez, who was ordered to surrender his passport, was also being held for immigration status verification, according to the Sun Sentinel.