5 things to know about Queena Phu attack case

Trigger warning: This article contains information about graphic violence related to the Queena Phu case.

Queena Phu is a r*pe victim and the survivor of a violent assault that she suffered about 14 years ago, during her teen years. Although the repurcussions of the actions of the attacker still haunt her to this day, she has made a commendable recovery with the assistance of her family, doctors, and the supportive community of the Tampa Bay area.

She was attacked in the dark of the night, brutally r*ped and beaten senseless by 16-year-old Kendrick Morris near the Bloomingdale Regional Library in east Hillsborough County while returning borrowed books. She was discovered brain damaged, paralyzed, and blinded and till this day, requires 24-7 assistance.

Over a decade after the incident occurred, and two years after a memoir was published about her suffering and survival, Lifetime's #TextMeWhenYouGetHome is scheduled to introduce Queena Phu to the world with the premiere of its upcoming episode set to air on Monday, August 15, 2022, at 9 pm ET.

The synopsis states:

"Queena Phu went to her local library to return a book after hours; she was on her cellphone with her best friend, Rachel, who heard Queena scream and then the line went dead; Rachel recalls driving to the scene and making a horrifying discovery."

Read further to learn more about the 2008 assault case on Queena Phu that left her scarred and disabled for life.

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Five chilling facts about Queena Phu's 2008 attack case

1) Queena Phu was attacked weeks before graduating high school

High school student Queen Phu was assaulted one April night while returning books to the Bloomingdale Regional Library in east Hillsborough County. She was only weeks away from graduating and heading off to college.

According to reports, Queena was found by a group of alarmed family members and friends outside the Bloomingdale Library. Minutes later, she was discovered behind the library, where she had been r*ped, abused, and badly beaten with a smashed skull. She was 18 at the time and was left scarred for life, unable to move, see, communicate, or function by herself as a result of the assault.

Once Phu was taken to the hospital, reports and tests revealed that she had suffered a significant brain injury. Her narrative continues to this day as she undergoes rehabilitation and physical therapy after years of difficult suffering. Reports state that she still needs 24-7 attention and care.

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2) Queena was left disabled after the attack

Now known as the 'Bloomingdale Library attack survivor,' Queena Phu, a bubbly young woman in her senior year, sustained a severe brain injury in April 2008. The tragedy had a huge impact on Queena's life and had left her with several ailments. The assault left her unable to move, see, talk, or live alone. She is still wheelchair-bound and requires frequent care.

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3) She mentioned seeing a "weird guy" the night she was attacked

On April 24, 2008, Queena, an 18-year-old senior in high school, was on the verge of graduating and going off to college when she was brutally attacked and left to die. She reportedly drove to the library that night to return the books she had borrowed.

She recalled seeing a "weird guy" at the library's entrance while she was on the phone with a friend. Her friend even mentioned overhearing cries and screams before the call dropped. The investigation revealed the man to be Kendrick Morris.

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4) Queena's attacker, Kendrick Morris, got life in prison

16-year-old Kendrick Morris was convicted of r*ping and beating Queena. He went through trials and was sentenced to 65 years in prison. However, a re-sentencing took place that occurred following judgments by the Florida and U.S. Supreme Courts stating that it was illegal to sentence juveniles on strong terms without the possibility of parole.

Morris is currently serving three life terms for what he did to her. He was convicted of r*ping and attacking another woman at a daycare facility when he was only 15 in the Clair-Mel region months before the assault on Queena Phu.

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5) Her sister, Anna Donato, condemned defense's move to reduce Morris' sentence

Morris committed actions that were very violent, but according to a 2017 report, his lawyers felt that a life term in jail was not the appropriate punishment for the then-25-year-old. Morris had allegedly shown sorrow for his misdeeds, and medical professionals thought he deserved a chance at rehabilitation.

But Queena Phu's sister, Anna Donato, felt otherwise. Speaking about the victim's trauma, Donato reportedly said,

"She expresses with facial expressions and sounds, yelling out, crying. We forgive him and we have compassion for him but that does not mean we believe he should be out of prison."

She added,

"It's not a joyous moment in any sense for us. We're still going to have to go back home and take care of Queena forever."

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Tune into Monday's #TextMeWhenYouGetHome episode on Lifetime to catch the complete story of Queena Phu and the deadly attack that she survived.