Suspect in Bronx knife attack was freed due to late paperwork, victim alleges

A Bronx woman who survived a vicious knife attack in her own apartment says her attacker is still out on the streets.

Kaitlynn Berman, 23, says in March 2025, she was spending a quiet evening with her trusted friend Christopher Joseph in her apartment on East 225th Street in Wakefield when, without warning, he allegedly turned on her and pulled out a knife.

"He kept stabbing me and stabbing me and stabbing me over again," Berman said. "He told me to stop screaming."

Berman was stabbed over 20 times and left critically injured.

"I have nerve damage to the right side of my face," she said.

Investigators say Joseph stole nearly $6,000 from Berman, along with an iPhone.

The attack left Berman in the hospital for two months, undergoing surgeries and therapy.

"It's kind of, like, hard to believe that I still made it through that," Berman said. "You know, there's people who get an injury one time and lose their life."

The Bronx District Attorney charged Joseph with attempted murder and robbery. He pleaded not guilty in May 2025.

Despite the violent allegations, Joseph is free as the case moves through the courts. He was released without bail in December 2025.

Court paperwork from a hearing states Joseph was "released on his own recognizance," further saying, "An email regarding an outstanding discovery went unanswered," so Joseph's lawyer filed a motion to have him released.

"It's ridiculous that if somebody does not submit paperwork on time, that they let the defendant go," Berman said.

Joseph was due back in court last week, but the hearing was postposed due to the Bronx public defenders' strike. His next court appearance is scheduled for mid-September. A source close to the investigation says he will be offered a 10-year plea deal at that time.

"I don't feel safe that he's outside," Berman said. "I want justice. I want him to be locked back up. He does not deserve to be outside."