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Emotional Plea From Parents Of Beaten N.Y. Student

Feds Threaten Dire Consequences Should Fugitive Accused Of Beating College Student Into Coma Not Come Back

Officials Set Aug. 1 Deadline For Serbian's Return

NEW YORK (CBS) ― They say it's like a dagger in their hearts.

Raw emotion came Thursday from the parents of a college student who was beaten into a coma. And as Brian Steinhauer struggles to survive, his parents struggle to cope with their grief and frustration as the thug accused of attacking him remains free.

"We do not know when or if he will ever be the same," Marlene Steinhauer, Brian's mother, told reporters during a news conference Thursday.

Marlene and her husband, Richard, walked into the crowded conference room to talk about their son and his fight for life. They wonder whether they'll even ever see him smile again.

"He remains unable to eat, speak, or walk. His prognosis remains uncertain," Richard said. "We do not know when or even if we will ever get our son back."

The Steinhauers also came to talk about efforts to have the Serbian fugitive who assaulted him, Miladin Kovacevic, brought back to face American justice. Federal officials gave the Serbs 10 days to turn Kovacevic over or else.

"The Serbian government has declined to return him. That's where we stand," said Irwin Rochman, the Steinhauers' lawyer.

American officials are working overtime to have fugitive Miladin Kovacevic brought back to American soil.

"We've asked for a formal response by Aug. 1," said Rian Harris, a spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Belgrade.

If the ultimatum doesn't force the Serbs to turn over Kovacevic, the government says they'll face dire consequences.

"We have levers," said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). "There's $60 million in aid that goes to Serbia and there's a visa process which the Serbian government abused and there are some that are saying we ought not let anyone use a Serbian visa until they correct this abuse."

That's tough talk from Schumer, but he's not alone. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is involved, quietly, behind the scenes. Between Rice and Schumer the threats are not empty ones.

"This is not going to be just verbal. We're not going to say, 'Please, please, please,'" Schumer said. "There are serious levers ... and I believe our government will use them should the Serb government not return Kovacevic."

Still, the Steinhauers are even more concerned about their son's well-being. The beating by the hulking 6-foot-9, 280-pound Kovacevic put 130-pound Bryan into a coma.

"He was so bloody that even his own roommate could not recognize him being carried out," Marlene said.

That was on May 4. On Thursday, more than two-and-a-half months later, Bryan has made baby steps toward recovery.

"He is semi-conscious now. He's emerging from a coma. Parts of his brain are working, but a lot of parts aren't. He doesn't have full consciousness – he's kind of sleepwalking in a way," Richard said. "So he does respond, he knows who we are, he knows who his friends are, he recognizes them. He can't speak. The only way he can communicate now is by moving his right leg."

The questions Thursday are painful, like their son's prognosis.

"Unfortunately when it comes to the head and brain damage, there can be no prognosis. Everybody's an individual," Marlene said.

And probably the most gut-wrenching of all: what it's like to visit their honors graduate son in the hospital everyday.

"It's extremely difficult to see my son in a hospital bed. Luckily he has a lot of friends and it's nice to see their vitality and very difficult to see my son's life and the quality of his life being cut short," she added.

The Steinhauers say their son is also able to make eye contact. Ruefully, they say, his eyes get more excited when he sees his friends than them, but then, they're there every day.

In the meantime, U.S. officials are waiting to see if the Serbs comply and produce Kovacevic by their Aug. 1 deadline. If they don't, there are all those levers to push and if that doesn't work, Schumer says he will seek other sanctions in Congress.

CBS 2's Lou Young also contributed to this report.

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