"Right as I got into the cab, he got into the cab behind me and shut the door."
It's one of the world's most luxurious vacation spots. It is a blend of sand and surf that can only be called “Paradise on Earth.”
It’s Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, which is a popular destination for A-list celebrities and also spring breakers.
Last spring break as an undergrad turned into a living Hell for Lucy Gradolph, a Michigan State coed, who went to Cabo with friends a year ago. It was going to be her final fling before graduating.
It started great. One video was taken during a taxi ride as she took in the sights. Another video was taken of her out partying at a local night club on the last night of her seven-day vacation.
But when it was time to go, she and her pals became separated. She was alone. She says a security guard at the club hailed her a cab to take her to her hotel, which was a five-minute ride.
She told INSIDE EDITION, “Right as I got into the cab, he got into the cab behind me and shut the door. As that moment happened in my head, I knew 100% that this is not right.”
Lucy Gradolph says she was driven to a deserted area and dragged out of the taxi. She tried to run away but the two men overpowered her. What happened next was unthinkable.
She claims, “They assaulted me, molested me, kidnapped me and raped me. I was 100% scared that they would kill me.”
Gradolph made her getaway when another car pulled up and spooked her assailants.
She said, “I just started running towards the street.”
INSIDE EDITION’s Diane McInerney asked, “Did you think anything like this could happen on spring break?”
“No, not at all,” she replied.
Grandolph says she never filed a police report about the attack. McInerney asked her why.
“I was afraid to call the police because I had heard stories and saw in movies about all the police in Mexico were corrupt,” she said.
Instead, the next day Gradolph and her friends flew to the nearest U.S. hospital where she felt safe. The closet was UCLA's Medical Center. There, she was given a sexual assault examination. The report, which she agreed to share, noted she had visible injuries. She was described as tearful and at times anxious. Bruises were noted on her left buttock and thigh.
She said, “I heard stories of this happening to people, but I never thought it would be me.”
Gradolph says she has decided to go public with her story because she wants to alert other spring breakers of the potential dangers out there.
McInerney asked, “Have they found the men that did this to you?”
“No. I truly don't think they ever will,” she said.
