Man arrested after South Florida mother and son with autism were attacked in Fort Lauderdale, police say

A suspect has been arrested in the attack on a woman and her 12-year-old son with disabilities on Tuesday, Fort Lauderdale police say. 

Police have charged Hutch Benjamin, 44, with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. 

The attack occurred in a parking lot near Sunrise Boulevard and Northwest 5th Avenue. The mother, who identified herself only as Chrissy, said the assailant approached them from behind and began yelling at her son.

"He just said, 'I told you not to come,'" Chrissy told CBS News Miami before the arrest. 

Chrissy said her son, who is non-verbal, was then beaten with what appeared to be a heavy object, which she described as a stick or a mallet. When she attempted to shield her child, the attacker struck her in the head, causing a significant injury.

Her son sustained internal damage to one of his eyes, though doctors expect him to recover his vision. Chrissy said the physical injuries are compounded by the trauma her son is experiencing.

Chrissy expressed frustration regarding bystanders who she said ignored her cries for help during the assault. "They didn't care, even if I showed them blood," she said.

Chrissy and her son have since been released from the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. She says that the attack was random and the man was a stranger to both her and her son. 

After the arrest, Chrissy said over the past few days, she has been weary leaving her home. He son would not step foot outside without a car waiting for them, until the mother and son spoke exclusively with CBS News Miami Friday night. 

"Looking, looking, you can't live like that," Chrissy said. "You don't feel right." 

With few leads earlier this week, Chrissy applauded the work of Ft. Lauderdale detectives. 

"It was never forgotten. And that's what I'm happy for," she said. "Justice was done in the community. I can feel some type of peace." 

Although the mother and son like to remain private, they are collecting donations online to help offset the price of rideshare trips. 

It is unknown how authorities were able to locate Benjamin.