Carleigh Hager went through hell and back with her ex-boyfriend who abused her verbally and physically. One night he attacked her and she only remembers waking up, unconscious to a police officer standing above her and attending to her serious physical injuries. Carleigh is sharing her story as a warning to everyone in a relationship to watch for signs of abuse and act on red flags. She wants people to understand the importance of seeking help early on.
A supporter set up a GoFundMe recovery page for Carleigh as she tries to recuperate physically and emotionally.
The page details the scarring incident:
"It was on October 22, 2016, that more than Carleigh Hager's trust was broken, it was also when she was brutally beaten by Ryan Cameron (now ex-boyfriend). Carleigh and Ryan had returned home after celebrating a friend's wedding. It was getting late and Carliegh was ready to leave, but Ryan wanted to continue in the festivities. After arguing over leaving, they returned home and Carleigh went to bed. Ryan invited three friends over and began desparaging Carleigh to his friends. An argument between Ryan and his friends ensued and Ryan left the room. He went into the bedroom where Carleigh was sleeping, locked the door and began strangling her. Ryan's friends heard Carleigh call out and broke the bedroom door to get to her. Ryan began fighting his friends and pushed them out of the house and locked them out. The friends called the police and began trying to break through the front door. In the meantime, Carleigh had gone into the bathroom. Ryan followed her into the bathroom and began brutally beating Carleigh, slamming her head into the tub, biting wherever he could reach. He attempted to bite off her finger and the tip of her ear. He also attempted to rip her tongue out of her mouth. He dragged her through the house, leaving a quarter sized opening on her forehead. At some point during the beating, Carleigh lost consciousness, eventually awakening with a female officer standing over her, calling for an ambulance.
Beyond the injuries already described, there were over 20 bite marks throughout her body. The severe beating also resulted in swelling and blood on her brain. Carleigh has an extremely long road to recovery ahead of her. It will be at least three weeks before she can eat solid foods due to the severe damage to her tongue."