AS Lauren Huxley was brutally attacked and left for dead by an intruder at home, her family were told to say their last goodbyes.
The 18-year-old had been given just a 5% chance of survival after she was found barely alive in the garage of her burning family home in Northmead, Western Sydney, Australia.
Now, 20 years on, Lauren, 38, has made a full recovery and has learned to enjoy her life again.
“I’m still here,” she told ABC’s Australian Story.
“Even with all my scars and my injuries, which I might always have, at least I’m able to do the simple things in life…there’s nothing stopping me now!”
The Day of the Attack
The day that turned Lauren’s life upside down was just a typical sunny afternoon on 9 November 2005 – or so she thought.
Hopping off the bus after being at her marketing course, she headed home and opened the French doors at the back of the house, just like she had done time and time again.
But devastatingly on this occasion, it was different…
Unbeknownst to her, a monster and career criminal named Robert Black Farmer, who she had never met before, was lurking in the shadows.
What unfolded next was nothing short of an abhorrent act of torture and pure evil.
Farmer proceeded to chase Lauren through her own home, before trapping her in the garage and repeatedly beating her with heavy-duty fibro-cutters.
Even with all my scars and my injuries, which I might always have, at least I’m able to do the simple things in life……there’s nothing stopping me now!
Lauren Huxley,
Not stopping there, he tied her up with electrical cords to prevent her from escaping, doused her in petrol and left her for dead after heading to the kitchen and setting fire to her house.
He turned the gas stove on and left a toaster on top in the hopes of starting a fire that’d give him enough time to escape to safety.
As flames tore through her family home, neighbours notified Lauren’s mum Christine, dad Pat and sister Simone that their house of 24 years was on fire.
But when they rushed home, they learned the devastating reality of the situation – and that their loved one was in the middle of it.
“I just collapsed,” Christine recalled. “You just go into deep shock. I just couldn’t believe it. It was just like a bad dream.”
Lauren was discovered by Senior Constable Danny Eid, who had received a call about a house fire.
After arriving on the scene, he found the fire fighters tackling the huge flames and smoke billowing out of the roof and was told the house was empty.
But he says “things didn’t add up” and that a strong stench of petrol and a gut feeling led him to the garage, where he was faced with Lauren’s “perfectly still body.”
He explained: “As soon as I pushed that garage door open, the heat and smell of petrol really was quite overwhelming.
“There was petrol everywhere, she was covered in it, soaked in it.
“Lauren was laying there, I get towards her, she’s gasping for air.
“She’s got blood all over her face, all over her top. She’s got a couple of really deep cuts on the top of her head.”
Detective Superintendent Jason Dickinson, the lead detective on the case, went on to say that Lauren’s injuries were so extensive and critical, “minutes mattered.”
5% Chance of Survival
Lauren was blue-lighted to hospital where she was found to have sustained several life-threatening injuries – including a smashed skull, broken eye sockets and brain fluid which had leaked from her nose.
Surgeon Dr Richard Vickers, who operated on Lauren, admitted he thought Lauren’s brain injury was “too much” and that she “wouldn’t survive.”
He told how she’d been left with more than 50 fractures in her skull and face and believed she had just a 5% chance of surviving.
Lauren spent 23 days in a coma, endured nine gruelling surgeries, which included putting her skull back together with 28 titanium plates, and was left partially brain-damaged.
She then spent seven months in a rehabilitation program where she had to re-learn how to walk, eat and speak again.
I catch up with my friends for lunch or dinner or drinks after work. It’s as normal as can be.”
Lauren Huxley,
Due to the severity of the injuries she sustained, Lauren has no memory of the sickening attack, something which she considers a blessing.
“A friend once said to me, it’s like my brain is protecting me from having to relive that traumatic experience,” she previously told news.com.au.
Three Week Manhunt
While Lauren’s family prayed for her recovery, her attacker was still on the loose.
After a three week manhunt and several media appeals later, a DNA breakthrough from the fuel tin lid that had been recovered at the scene finally led them to Farmer.
The then 36-year-old, who lived nearby and was a complete stranger to the family, was a career criminal who a history of theft and gun offences and was on bail at the time he attacked Lauren.
In court, Constable Danny Eid recalled how he had found Lauren’s brutally beaten body in a pool of blood with her left wrist bound with electrical cord.
“I saw what appeared to be the body of a person lying on the floor of a garage,” he said.
“I could not see the head. My initial impression was that it was a mannequin.
“The body was lying in a pool of red liquid which appeared to be blood. I noticed blood spatter on the walls.”
Farmer, who has never revealed his true motive, was told he would spend a maximum 24 years and six months in jail, with a 20-year non-parole trial for the brutal attack and attempted murder of Lauren.
A New Chapter
Now, Lauren, who works in a job in the Sydney CBD, Australia’s main financial and economic centre, is making the most of her life. After all, she came so close to losing it.
Speaking of the scars she’s been left with, Lauren, whose family moved out of their home after her last surgery, told ABC’s Australian Story: “I’m used to them. I guess they just show me what I’ve been through…I just put a bit of moisturiser on and I’m happy.”
When she was 21, she travelled to the US with Simone, before then adventuring to Thailand, the UK, Europe and even Bali.
The 38-year-old, who is an “amazing aunty” to her sister Simone’s children and hopes to marry and have kids of her own one day, explained: “I catch up with my friends for lunch or dinner or drinks after work.
“It’s as normal as can be.”
No Remorse
But while Lauren has shown nothing but sheer strength and determination to rebuild her life, Farmer, who she refers to as “the monster,” that nearly ended it, is eligible for parole in July next year.
Farmer, who has never admitted guilt or expressed remorse for the crime, has served 20 of his 24-year sentence.
The NSW State Parole Authority will assess whether he meets the criteria for release.
But Lauren remains as strong as ever and says she’ll face it as and when it happens.
“I guess we’ll just deal with that when it comes to it,” she said.
“I was given the worst-case scenario. [They] didn’t think I’d ever be able to talk, walk or eat but I’ve been able to do all of that and more.”
