[M.K. Borders]

My daughter says she was awaken by a cat fight outside the house. She reports that our cat freaked at that and then turned on her.

[badfreeper]

If the cat was freaked by the fight and startled by a sudden movement your daughter might have made, the "fight or flight" instinct may have kicked in. If there was no immediate escape route available, then that would help explain what happened. (Bear in mind that I'm not a professional, just another cat owner.)

[Sungirl]

My daughter says she was awaken by a cat fight outside the house. She reports that our cat freaked at that and then turned on her

Obviously, the cat remembered being in a cat fight like that before and was horrified. If you daughter tried to touch the cat at this time...it is going to assume it's in that cat fight situation again and fight for it's life. Did you daughter try to touch the cat when it was spooked.