Crazed ‘Cannibal’ Attacks 3-Year-Old Sparking Backlash

A 3-year-old Texas girl is recovering from a horrifying attack that federal officials say never should have happened.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, a 24-year-old illegal migrant from India allegedly attacked little Amelia Perez at a San Antonio park on April 18, leaving the child with bite wounds, deep scratches across her face, two missing front teeth, and emotional trauma her family says will last far beyond the physical injuries. DHS is now calling the assault “completely preventable” and placing blame squarely on the Biden administration’s immigration policies.

The terrifying incident unfolded during what was supposed to be a peaceful family fishing trip at Espada Park. Amelia’s mother, Gabriella Perez, said she had taken her daughter to the restroom and was walking back outside when a man suddenly rushed toward them in what she described as a frenzied state.

Perez said the suspect grabbed her by the hair and punched her in the jaw. In the chaos, she lowered Amelia to the ground in an attempt to shield her from the violence. But seconds later, the attacker allegedly turned his attention to the toddler.

What followed, according to the family, was pure nightmare fuel.

Perez said the man pinned Amelia to the ground, jammed his thumbs toward her eyes, and bit her in the face and mouth. The assault was so savage that the little girl lost her two front teeth. As her mother fought desperately to pull him off, bystanders rushed in to help stop the attack.

Witnesses reportedly dragged the suspect away as Perez screamed for help. Two men allegedly pulled out guns during the mayhem, and the crowd kept subduing the suspect until police arrived.

Emergency crews rushed Amelia and her family to Christus Children’s Hospital, where Perez said the full weight of the horror had not yet even sunk in for her daughter.

“In the emergency room, the adults were all going crazy while Amelia was suffering shock,” Perez said. “She sat eerie calm, like a statue, while the nurses and doctors worked on her poor face. She didn’t make a peep, even though she was in a great deal of pain.”

Her mother says Amelia is now terrified, struggling to sleep, and lashing out as she tries to process the unimaginable.

Authorities identified the suspect as Atharva Vyas, 24. He has been booked into the Bexar County Detention Center and charged with injury to a child with intent to cause bodily injury, assault causing bodily injury, and illegal entry from a foreign nation.

Federal officials say the case becomes even more disturbing when you look at what happened before the attack.

DHS told The Post that Vyas first entered the United States from India in August 2023 on a student visa. Just three months later, he was arrested on the University of Texas campus for felony assault. ICE was contacted at the time, but according to DHS, officials under President Joe Biden decided the offense was not serious enough to justify revoking his visa.

That decision is now under fierce scrutiny.

The Trump administration reportedly revoked Vyas’ F-1 visa in April 2025 based on that earlier assault arrest. On the same day Amelia was allegedly attacked, ICE placed a detainer request with San Antonio police, asking local authorities to transfer him to federal custody once the criminal case is complete.

DHS did not mince words in its response.

“This barbaric assault against this woman and her 3-year-old child in a park was completely preventable,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said. “The Biden administration NEVER should have released this animal following his arrest for assault.”

For many conservatives, the case is likely to become yet another flashpoint in the debate over border security, visa enforcement, and the consequences of lax immigration policies. What happened to Amelia is not being viewed as an isolated act of violence, but as a devastating example of what can happen when warning signs are ignored.

Perez, meanwhile, says her family is focused on helping Amelia heal.

In a GoFundMe message, she said the emotional toll has been crushing and asked the public for prayers as her daughter begins what will likely be a long road to recovery.

“Even though you try to protect your children, this is a dangerous world with dangerous people,” Perez said.

DHS also noted that victims of crimes involving illegal migrants may seek support through the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement, or VOICE, Office.

This little girl went to a park with her family for an afternoon of fishing. She left bloodied, traumatized, and forever changed. And now, federal officials are making one thing clear: they believe this never had to happen.