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| - Details: During the spring of 1987, sixteen-year-old Jenny Pratt had hopes of becoming a model. She was pretty and well-liked at her high school. She was also in love with her surfer boyfriend Curtis Croft, but did not tell her parents about him for several months. She told her parents that he was seventeen and they felt, at first, that he was a very nice person. Only later did they learn that Curtis had spent time in jail on drug charges, and that he was actually twenty-four-years-old. On the night of April 25, 1987, against her parents' wishes, Jenny went out with Curtis. The two went driving on Curtis's friend's motorcycle. That night, Curtis promised to get Jenny home before her midnight curfew; however, just minutes before they arrived at her house, Jenny was struck on the back of her
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| abstract
| - Details: During the spring of 1987, sixteen-year-old Jenny Pratt had hopes of becoming a model. She was pretty and well-liked at her high school. She was also in love with her surfer boyfriend Curtis Croft, but did not tell her parents about him for several months. She told her parents that he was seventeen and they felt, at first, that he was a very nice person. Only later did they learn that Curtis had spent time in jail on drug charges, and that he was actually twenty-four-years-old. On the night of April 25, 1987, against her parents' wishes, Jenny went out with Curtis. The two went driving on Curtis's friend's motorcycle. That night, Curtis promised to get Jenny home before her midnight curfew; however, just minutes before they arrived at her house, Jenny was struck on the back of her head with a 2x4 by the riders of a pickup truck that drove past them at a stoplight. At 1 am on the night of the incident, Jenny's parents learned that she had been attacked and was being airlifted to Scripps Medical Center in La Jolla, California. They did not understand why she was being taken to that hospital because there was another hospital just five minutes away; only when they got to the medical center did they realize the gravity of the situation. Scripps is a trauma center that takes only the most serious of patients. The doctor told the Pratts that Jenny was brain-dead; he feared that she would not survive the night. Miraculously, Jenny survived the brutal attack; however, she lapsed into a coma. Meanwhile, authorities began an investigation into her attack. The only physical evidence at the scene was the 2x4 with Jenny's blood on it. Curtis was questioned by the police; he told them that they were at the intersection, about to make a left turn, when they were struck with the board. He saw the pickup truck drive by them with several juveniles in the bed of the truck. Authorities believed that the case would be solved quickly due to the fact that the perpetrators were teenagers that would probably "brag" about the crime. Despite this, no one ever came forward with direct knowledge of the attack. Jenny's parents hired a private investigator to look into the case. He interviewed students at Jenny's high school, who stated that Curtis was the target of the attack, not Jenny. In 1985, Curtis had been convicted for dealing cocaine; after cooperating with investigators, he served less than half of his original sentence. He was soon perceived as a "snitch" and was disliked by other drug users. Authorities questioned people who may have had a grudge against Curtis. They learned the Curtis had confronted one of these individuals on the night before the attack. Jenny's parents believe that one of these people might have been behind the attack. The police investigation stalled when Curtis claimed that he could not identify any of the attackers. He said that the pickup truck was traveling at fifty-five miles per hour, which was too fast for him to see them. The private investigator did not believe this; a reconstruction was done to determine if his story was true. Their reconstruction showed that at fifty-five miles per hour, the board would have probably killed both Curtis and Jenny. Also the board fell more than fifty feet from the scene of the crime, when in reality it was found just a few feet from the motorcycle. However, when they had the truck traveling at ten miles per hour, the board inflicted injuries that were similar to what Curtis and Jenny actually received. Also, the board fell right next to the motorcycle. The private investigator confronted Curtis about the discrepancies in his story. Finally, Curtis did name some people that he saw on the truck. One of the people was the same young man that fought with Curtis the night before the attack. However, Curtis later recanted his statements; he claimed that he was pressured into naming names. Curtis claims that he has always cooperated in the case. Jenny's parents believe that people have been threatened into silence in this case. They claim that people have, at first, been willing to talk but later refuse to say what they know. Three months after the attack, Jenny awoke from her coma. Twelve weeks later, she began physical therapy. Seven months later, Jenny began to speak; a year later, she began to walk. Although she he progressed well, Jenny's brain damage is still severe and probably irreversible. Jenny has no memory of the attack; however, she hopes that someone will come forward to help solve her case. Suspects: The suspects were described as a group of juveniles in a white pickup truck. Extra Notes: This case first aired on the December 14, 1988 episode. Results: Unresolved. Sadly, the statute of limitations has run out on this case. Although several people have claimed to know the identities of Jennifer's attackers, they have never been positively identified. Links:
* Jenny Pratt at Unsolved.com
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