'I thought I was going to die': Victim says accused rapist assaulted her with son in bed

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A victim of a suspected serial rapist is sharing her will to live after she says her attacker cut her throat and threatened to kill her kids.

[READ MORE: 'I don't care': Victim has no sympathy for accused rapist complaining about jail]

The woman said she suffered permanent damage in the attack.

Police said Kenneth Bowen sexually assaulted at least eight women over a four-year period. He was arrested in late August.

"I thought I was going to die," the victim said.

She said she thought her children were going to die, too.

"He just told me that, ‘If you don't do what I tell you to do, I'm going to kill your kids,'" she said.

The victim said she woke up one day in 2017 with Bowen standing over her. She said she fought him, even punching him.

TRENDING STORIES

• Man abandoned as baby at Atlanta hotel finds his family 75 years later
• Chick-fil-A drive-thrus now slowest among big chains, study finds
• Man accused of killing missing Dahlonega woman turns himself in

"Like, right in the face. I gave him the two-piece bam," she said.

The woman said Bowen put a knife to her throat, wounding her. She said she grabbed the knife and cut tendons in two fingers. She gave in.

She said Bowen assaulted her with her 1-year-old son in the bed. The baby began crying.

"I actually held him in my arms …. while it was going on," the victim said.

She said the attack lasted an hour and a half.

The victim said she felt emotional being in a courtroom with Bowen. She said locked up is exactly where Bowen needs to be.

"I don't think he should be on the streets ever again," she said.

The victim said she forgives Bowen and even said he had a brief moment of compassion during the attack. However, she said she wants him to pay.

"You shall reap whatever harvest that you sow. So that's on him," she said.

The woman said her faith has helped her since the attack.

Bowen is being held without bond. His attorney had no comment but said he wants to get all the pretrial publicity out of the way and get to a trial in about seven months.

Cox Media Group