Family releases photo of Silver Comet Trail attack victim

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — The family of a woman beaten on the Silver Comet Trail released photos of the victim on Thursday to "show what kind of monster is out there."

Tina Waddell, 42, remains in a hospital after an assault in Paulding County on Tuesday evening.

The photo released by the family shows Waddell with a swollen face, black eyes and stitches on her forehead.

Investigators said Waddell suffered severe head injuries in the attack, which happened near her apartment.

Channel 2's Ross Cavitt spent Thursday along the trail and speaking with family members.

"They warned me before I saw her that there was a lot of swelling, and when I went in there, I just broke down. I've cried the last two days. I don't think I have any tears left inside of me," said the victim's husband, Jim Waddell.

The victim's brother-in-law, Joey Waddell, says he's at a loss for words.

"I'm a fireman and I've seen a lot of things, but I was not prepared to see when I walked in that hospital room," he said.

The family is pleading for information from the public.

"If you've seen something, please say something, so we can all feel safe," said Kristin Waddell, Tina Waddell's sister-in-law.

They say since the victim, Tina Waddell, relocated from Arkansas to Georgia, she has loved the Silver Comet Trail and would use it daily.

The family says Waddell has been moved from an intensive care unit to a regular room in Kennestone Hospital. Beginning Friday morning, she'll have the first of many surgeries.

Deputies said the man didn't sexually assault Waddell, and there's no clear motive for the attack.

There is not a detailed description of the man.

Tina Waddell's family has set up a fund at any SunTrust branch to raise money for medical expenses and a reward for information. The fund is called "Take Back the Trail for Tina."

WSBTV