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Police Search For Suspect After Teen Attacked Inside New Jersey Home

NEW JERSEY (CBSNewYork) -- Police are on the hunt for a suspect who attacked a teenager inside her New Jersey home on Saturday morning, leaving her in critical condition.

As CBS 2's Hazel Sanchez reported, the 18-year-old woman was home alone when the attacker entered her house on Vanderbilt Avenue in Somerset around 6:30 a.m.

Santos Aviles said he can't believe his neighbor was beaten, slashed and stabbed.

"It's sad because this is a real nice quiet neighborhood. This is one of the few neighborhoods where you can still leave the keys in the car and don't have to worry about your car getting stolen," he said.

Police said the attacker stabbed her multiple times in the torso, arms, and neck, and bludgeoned her with a heavy object.

The suspect then took off with a car from the victim's driveway.

The victim was able to run to a neighbor's home to call for help.

She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. She was listed in critical condition Sunday evening.

"It's a sad shame because it can happen anywhere, but when it happens in the neighborhood that's real nice and quiet it's an eye-opener," Aviles said.

Police said they are still searching for the attacker as well as the victim's family car.

The car is a 2009 four-door Mazda 6 with the license plate number YHX-85W, authorities said.

Police said they don't yet know if the victim knew her attacker, or if it was a robbery. Her family hasn't been able to return to their home to determine if anything other than the car was stolen.

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