ATLANTA — A woman who says she was kidnapped and nearly starved to death is speaking out for the first time.
Iasia Sweeting was rescued from a Peachtree Corners motel one year ago. The 21-year-old weighed only 59 pounds and was in a catatonic state.
Channel 2's Tony Thomas talked Friday with Sweeting, who said she's improving and she's fighting to regain custody of her surviving daughter.
"I'm going through an amazing healing process," Sweeting said.
Sweeting told Thomas she was within hours of dying of starvation when police found her in the hotel room.
Her 15-month-old daughter died from starvation. She says Calvin McIntosh and his daughter Najlaa held her hostage and assaulted her.
"I would try to escape and they would literally snatch me back into the room," Sweeting n said.
Before she disappeared, Sweeting was an accomplished poet. Her family would find out later she was forced into the Nuwabian religion, then held in the hotel room for years.
"I do remember just coming in and out of consciousness at times and the pain was just unbearable," Sweeting said.
Police discovered Sweeting and four children in the room after the death of the 15-month-old in November 2014.
Six months after coming out of her catatonic state, Morgan and her mother say they are still fighting for custody of her now 4-yearold daughter, but so far have been denied.
I was trying to get her myself the entire time. They are saying because of the nature of the case," said Elvis Morgan, Iasia's mother.
Sweeting continues her fight, in between visits to the doctor and writing poetry in honor of the deceased daughter she calls her angel.
"I thank the Lord for my mom. She never gave up looking for me," Sweeting said.
The McIntoshes remain jailed without bond. The Sweeting family has set up a fundraising account to help with the increasing medical bills.
You can make a donation to the Iasia Sweeting Fund at any SunTrust bank location.
WSBTV
