A Miami woman is fighting to survive after her family said she was violently attacked by her roommate earlier this week.

"I'm still in shock, I can't comprehend that someone can do this to someone, mutilate them in such a way and try to kill them," said Aimee Nikolove, the victim's mother.

Family and friends describe Danielle Jones as "young, vibrant and independent." The 23-year-old was working with a catering company and living in a Downtown Miami apartment, when she found a roommate on Craigslist two weeks ago.

A week after 35-year-old Byron Mitchell moved in, the family said he attacked Jones on her 23rd birthday.

"My daughter's face is cut up like he was going to take her face off. She has a brain injury and no one knows what the prognosis is," Nikolove said.

"She has scars everywhere, around her eyes, lips. She has slashes all down her head," explained Kaitlin Cabot, the victim's cousin.

Mitchell has claimed self defense, telling police Jones came after him with a knife. He was arrested Feb 15. on a attempted murder charge. It's unclear whether he's hired an attorney.

Jones has been in a coma since Sunday's attack. The family hopes others can learn from this.

"Bringing attention to this and raise some type of awareness for other people to be careful because I can't explain in words how hard it is to see her like this," Cabot said.

"We hold on to hope. It's in God's hands, but it's day six and she hasn't woken up," Nikolove added.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for Jones' medical expenses.