A Los Angeles woman says that she was horribly beaten by a man that she met on Instagram after agreeing to go out on a date with him.
India Ali met James Baker online, and the two of them talked until she was comfortable agreeing to a date with him in July.
“He didn’t really look like a creep from his pictures. He looked like he had it going on,” Ali said.
They met up for a night on the town, and Baker posted several videos online of the two of them drinking and enjoying themselves. Although Ali does not remember leaving the restaurant with Baker, there are videos of that too.
Eventually, they ended up in Baker’s hotel room, which is where Ali woke up.
“It was horrible. I woke up. I lifted my head up. I was lying in a puddle of throw up. So I look around and I see blood everywhere and my clothes everywhere,” Ali said.
She finally saw her reflection in the mirror and realized how badly she had been beaten, so she called 911. Police were able to use the Find my iPhone app to track down Ali and Baker in Ali’s car. Baker was arrested, and Ali was taken to the hospital.
“She had been punched in the head so badly that it had caused a swelling in the brain. The brain, when it expands, has nowhere to go so it forces down – and that’s what triggers the vomit action. It pressures the fourth vertebrae,” Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Berger said.
Ali said that she decided to share her story as a cautionary tale to others.
“I wouldn’t want anybody to go and meet up with anybody that they don’t know. Please don’t ever do that,” Ali said. “You have to value your life.”