Emotional Encounter in Court for Daughter of Assault Victim

On Wednesday, a visibly shaken 21-year-old Stephanie Rodas faced the man accused of brutally attacking her mother in Manhattan. “I couldn’t help it,” she told the Post, describing her tears and physical trembling as she confronted Miguel Giroux in the courtroom.

“So many emotions rushed over me. Looking at him, all I can think about is my mother lying in that hospital bed; it’s just heartbreaking,” she shared. “How can someone do this? How could anyone look at my mother and inflict such harm? He turned my life upside down—why?”

Giroux, aged 30, already faced previous felony rape charges and was under surveillance when he allegedly assaulted Diana Agudero on a bike path on Randall’s Island on May 16. This unprovoked attack left her gravely injured.

Interestingly, after the assault, Giroux reportedly returned to the scene and called 911, claiming to report the crime he committed. Authorities linked him to the incident using his ankle monitor. He was subsequently arrested, facing charges of attempted murder and robbery, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Rodas mentioned her mother had been recovering from brain surgery due to the violent attack. “She’s not fully aware,” she explained. “Her eyes drift away, and she was recently taken out of a medically induced coma. They had to perform a mini-surgery to relieve fluid buildup in her spine.”

Despite her mother’s condition, Rodas felt a need to confront the person who had devastated her family. “He didn’t notice me,” she recalled. “But I saw him, and he didn’t seem to acknowledge I was there at all.”

“He looked like a regular guy,” she added. “I would’ve passed him on the street without a second thought. If I had known… she was just returning home from work.” Agudelo had just come back from her job at a museum when the attack occurred around 11:30 PM.

The ankle monitor showed Giroux was moving at a speed of 16 mph near the attack site after being released on parole in August. Records indicate he had previously served more than a decade in state prison for dragging a woman from an elevator and committing horrific acts against her.

During the court appearance, Judge Coli Weston ordered that Giroux be held without bail, reflecting the serious nature of his offenses.