14yo girl ‘lucky’ to be alive after being stabbed more than a dozen times in alleged revenge attack

The family of a teenage girl allegedly chased down and knifed multiple times by a 17-year-old girl as she went to the movies in Epping says it is a “miracle” that she survived.

The family of a teenage girl stabbed more than a dozen times by another girl in an alleged revenge attack says she is lucky to be alive.

14-year-old Addisyn Tibos was on her way to see a movie with a friend when a 17-year-old girl allegedly “lunged” at her in the outdoor food court at Pacific Epping about 9.20pm on Friday.

The girl first allegedly stabbed a 19-year-old security guard who tried to break up the assault.

She allegedly stabbed him in the abdomen with a black-handled knife she had concealed in her hoodie before chasing down Addisyn.

A children’s court at the weekend initially heard that the girl, who went to the shopping centre in a balaclava, stabbed Addisyn 11 times in her abdomen and lower body, leaving her with a punctured lung and collapsed spleen.

But Addisyn’s sister Tayissa Tibos, 19, told the Herald Sun the damage went much further.

“They (doctors) actually found more wounds to her back – she was stabbed a total of 14 times,” Ms Tibos said.

Addisyn Tibos, 14, was allegedly stabbed more than a dozen times at an Epping shopping centre on Friday night. Picture: Supplied

“She’s lucky to be here … It’s a miracle, honestly.

“I’m just grateful that she has been so strong and that she’s actually all right considering everything.”

Ms Tibos said tensions between her younger sister and her alleged assailant had escalated in the lead-up to the “frenzied” attack, but she never imagined her sister would become the victim of a potentially fatal assault.

“This girl had been taunting her for months before all of this happened.” she said.

“She (Addisyn) said to me: “I thought maybe she would bash me”, but she never thought she would get stabbed.

“My sister tried to fight her off … and then she pulled out the knife.”

The 17-year-old girl’s defence lawyer Andrew Rankin said his client confronted Addisyn because she claimed Addisyn had assaulted her sister and was “continuing to boast about it”.

Ms Tibos confirmed Addisyn and the accused girl’s sister had gotten into an argument several months ago, but added that the fight had sparked ongoing threats to bash Addisyn, as well as an onslaught of abuse from the girl on social media.

The girl was on her way to see a movie with a friend when a 17-year-old girl allegedly lunged at her. Picture: NewsWire

Ms Tibos said that Addisyn’s quick-thinking friend, who tried to fight off the 17-year-old girl, may have helped save her sister’s life.

“If it wasn’t for my sister’s friend then she probably wouldn’t be here today,” she said.

Addisyn underwent surgery on Saturday night and was continuing to have blood drained from her punctured lung on Sunday.

Ms Tibos said her sister was able to stand and walk around for short periods of time, but her road to recovery remained unclear.

“It’s heartbreaking,” she said.

“This has been an emotional roller coaster for everyone. The stress is unreal.”

Ms Tibos has established an online fundraiser to help cover her sister’s medical expenses.

The court heard that the 17-year-old girl, who was on bail when the alleged attack unfolded, had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and autism but she did not have problems with drugs or alcohol.

She was charged with intentionally and recklessly causing serious injury, recklessly causing injury, affray, assault with weapon and unlawful assault over the alleged attack against Addisyn.

She was denied bail and was remanded in custody to return to court on March 21.