Watch CBS News

Roller Derby Community Rallies Around Stabbing Victims, More Help Needed

By Cherri Gregg

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Forty-one-year-old Stephen Burton was arraigned today; charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault for brutally stabbing his 21-month-old daughter and her mother on Sunday.

Stephen Burton
(credit: Philadelphia Police)

But there is a silver lining, as the community is rallying around the victims.

In just two days, the GoFund Me page for 37-year-old Danecia Berrian and her baby girl has been shard 3,000 times, raising nearly $17,000 of the $50,000 goal.

"Watching how fast people acted and donated has really been calming for her," says Damita Howard, Berrian's sister. She came from Atlanta immediately after hearing of the incident and has spent the past several days traveling between two hospitals, taking care of her sister and her baby niece.

"It's going to be a long recovery," says Howard, "she is continuing to progress positively, but we are not out of the woods, things are still critical."

Howard says Berrian skated with the Philly Roller Girl for years and was known as "Nina Knockout," and when the roller derby community heard of their fellow roller girl's plight, they stepped up.

"People we don't know, roller girls we've never met, friends of roller girls, colleagues of roller girls," says Howard, "roller girls in France, Belgium, Japan...it's amazing."

Howard played for the Atlanta Roller Girls and retired in 2013. She says the outpouring of support from that community is beacon of hope for her sister, a mother of two as she, now stable, and her baby, still critical, recover in the hospital.

"We are so humbled and so thankful for our derby community," says Howard.

At this point, it's unclear when Berrian will be strong enough to return to her job as a teacher in Philadelphia's public schools. Howard says the expenses are already starting to add up, she has to take care of her four-year-old son (who was not harmed) and her home is in shambles, still bloody from the incident.

"A lot of things will need to be replaced," says Howard, "plus there's recovery, physical therapy and Danecia just cannot do anything for herself right now."

Despite the tragic nature of Sunday's stabbing, Howard acknowledges that Berrian has racked up favor, beginning with the good Samaritan neighbor, Donletta Bolds, that stepped in and saved her.

"If she ignored the screams and had not come over and knocked, I would be here in Philadelphia making other arrangements," says Howard, "I am just so thankful."

So much to be thankful for, good neighbors and a strong community.

To donate go to love4danecia.com.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.