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Mother Speaks Out After Reward Offered In New Year's Day Beating Of Soldier In South Philly

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Citizens Crime Commission is posting reward money, hoping to get responses after a 19-year-old, active duty Army soldier was beaten by a group of men in South Philadelphia on New Year's Day.

The confrontation between a group of men and Pvt. Austin Freni, his mother and girlfriend happened just after 11 p.m. January 1, approaching 3rd Street and Oregon Avenue.

"He's evidently wearing an army jacket, and there was a disruption between him and a group of people," said John Apledorn of the Citizens Crime Commission.

Apledorn says while the group was walking by, one of the men made a derogatory comment about the Army. Apledorn says they got into an angry verbal exchange, and when a man punched him, others piled on.

"We don't like it when a 19-year old soldier, who is on our streets, is beaten like that in a country that he's later on going to defend," he said. "Here's a fella who has been trained to protect our country and isn't even safe in his own country."

Freni suffered a broken jaw.

"It's been a nightmare. I still wake up with nightmares at night," Lori Freni told Eyewitness News. Freni tells Eyewitness News she was with her son Austin, his girlfriend and her other son on Oregon Avenue around 11 p.m. She says Austin was on the phone talking about being in the Army, while wearing the Army jacket.

"I don't understand how in your own country you put down men and women that fight for you, that fight for your freedom," Freni said. She says Austin's attacker was not alone and there were eight or nine more watching. She says some even joined in assaulting the rest of the group before taking off.

"It's a bunch of boys from I'd say 18 to 20," she said. Freni called police and an ambulance rushed Austin to a Philadelphia hospital.

The Citizens Crime Commission has put up a $7,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the attack.

A native of Atco, New Jersey, Freni is assigned to Ft. Benning, Georgia, and was on leave for the holidays.

The Citizens Crime Commission's anonymous tipline is (215) 546-TIPS.

Police are also asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them, at (215) 686-TIPS.

Eyewitness News' David Spunt contributed to this report...

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