Clapham chemical attack victim has lost the sight in one eye

The woman who had chemicals thrown over her in an attack in south London has lost sight in one of her eyes.

Attacker Abdul Ezedi is said to have thrown an alkaline substance over the woman and her two daughters in Clapham on January 31.

Police pulled a body from the Thames on Monday which they ‘strongly believe’ is Ezedi.

It is believed Ezedi threw the substance on the woman’s eight-year-old daughter and threw her three-year-old daughter to the ground twice.

Detectives are looking into whether the attack followed the breakdown of a relationship between the woman and Ezedi.

Now friends of the 31-year-old woman, who has not been named, are praying her sight returns fully in the other eye and they have already raised £50,000 from donations for the family.

The woman is no longer sedated but it is believed she and her daughters have a ‘very, very long road to recovery ahead’.

The friends released a statement when Ezedi’s body was pulled from the river nearly three weeks after the attack took place.

They said: ‘Mum’s still in critical care and desperate to be reunited with her girls.

‘We know Mum’s lost her sight in one eye, and we’re praying that it returns fully in the other.

‘Our friend is a phenomenal mum and the strongest, most independent person we know.

‘She’s already making so much progress and is determined to get out of hospital as quickly as possible. But physically and mentally, there is a very, very long road ahead for her and the girls.

‘Like so many of us, the family were really struggling to make ends meet before the attack, so we just want their recovery to not be compounded by financial fears.

‘We know times are tough and the level of support so far means the world. Every donation helps, and sends a powerful message against this evil attack.

‘We kindly ask anyone reading this to consider donating even the cost of a coffee to show mum and the girls that the wider community has their back and they can feel safe again.’

Police have not yet been able to speak to the woman, but still intend to when she has recovered further.

Ezedi was seen wandering around London on CCTV following the attack, recognisable from a distinct wound on his face.

Police started hunting for the accused attacker, who worked at a pizza takeaway in Newcastle, on January 31.

A body pulled from the Thames at around 4pm on February 19 at Tower Pier in London.

Police think it’s very likely to be Ezedi due to the clothes and property found on the body.

It is thought he went ‘into the water’ after he was last seen on Chelsea Bridge at 11.27pm on the night the attack took place.

Police are continuing to investigate what happened, but there hasn’t been any more arrests.

Commander Jon Savell said: ‘Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi.

‘We have been in contact with his family to pass on the news.

‘As you may expect after a considerable period of time in the strong current of the Thames, formal identification is not possible visually, nor from fingerprints.

‘We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records. That may take some time.

‘Our enquiries continue into the attack. I am pleased to say the condition of the 31-year-old woman has improved. She remains in hospital but she is in a stable condition and no longer sedated. We have still not been able to speak to her but hope to as soon as she is well enough.

‘Again, I thank all those hundreds of members of the public who called us with information during the hunt for Ezedi.

‘The public support for our investigation was overwhelming and every piece of information provided was followed up.’

After setting up a Go Fund Me page, friends of the woman have raised tens of thousands from 2,000 donations.

Writing about what happened, Grace M, who set up the fundraiser, said: ‘Our very dear friend, a generous, sweet, loving mother and her two small daughters were recently the victims of a brutal chemical attack in Clapham.

‘This attack has changed the lives of this wonderful little family forever.

‘At what is clearly a shocking and terrible time, we simply hope that their burden of trauma is not added to by financial worries.

;We desperately want them to have a safe and secure future with the things they need to rebuild their lives and recover from this most horrifying attack.’

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