Clapham chemical attack victim 'could lose sight in eye' as friends launch fundraiser for 'devoted and generous mother'
8 February 2024, 06:14 | Updated: 8 February 2024, 08:41
The victim of the Clapham chemical attack may lose sight in her right eye and remains sedated in hospital, too unwell to speak, it has emerged.
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Friends have described her as a devoted mother desperate to keep her children safe - as they launched a fundraiser and issued an edited picture of the victim and her children.
The 31-year-old, who has not been named, is still in hospital eight days on from the corrosive substance attack in south London.
She is a former partner of suspect Abdul Ezedi, 35, who remains at large amid a police manhunt.
The woman was injured after she was attacked with strong alkali and is too ill to speak to police, who are treating the case as attempted murder.
Her children, aged eight and three, were injured in the attack with witnesses saying the three-year-old was slammed to the ground and one was hit by the substance on January 31.
Brave bystanders intervened and the attacker fled.
Now, a fundraiser has been launched to support the family.
"Our friend is first and foremost a devoted and loving mother. Her children are her life. She is generous to a fault and a wonderful cook and host," friends of the victim said.
"All she has ever wanted is a safe home for her and her beautiful, kind little girls.
"As their loved ones we are still coming to terms with the fact that this monstrous attack will change their lives forever.
"It is difficult to imagine now how they will recover, and all we want is for them to be able to rebuild their lives.
"We cannot put into words how grateful we are to the heroic neighbours of Lessar Avenue.
"They risked their own lives to save them and we can only imagine how distressing the attack was for them too. They are angels in our eyes.
"We know this incident has deeply touched people across the UK, and even a very small donation would be invaluable."
The fundraiser, which has raised more than £4,000, is designed to ensure the family will not have financial woes on top of their injuries.
They are aiming to raise £50,000.
Police confirmed on Wednesday that the victim was in a relationship with Ezedi, who was given asylum in the UK despite having a past conviction for sexual assault and exposure.
Detectives believe a relationship breakdown could be a motive.
Officers say he tried to run the victims over in a car before he fled. They also believe his facial injuries, believed to be a result of the attack, could be fatal if he does not get them treated.
Ezedi was last seen at 11pm on the night of the attack, having been traced across London on CCTV.
He was caught on camera crossing Vauxhall Bridge Road and walking on the Thames.
Police are keeping an open mind over whether he could have jumped or been pushed into the water.
A 22-year-old man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of assisting an offender, and was later released on bail.
A £20,000 reward for information has been posted for information leading to his arrest and a number of properties have been searched.
His case has led to criticism of the asylum system given his criminal record. Ezedi, from Afghanistan, arrived on the back of a lorry in 2016.
Visit the GoFundMe page to view the friends' fundraiser.
