Friends of ‘sweet, loving’ mother fighting for life after Clapham chemical attack launch fundraiser

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Friends of the mother left fighting for life after a chemical attack in south London have thanked neighbours who rushed out to save her, as they launched a fundraising appeal to help her family “rebuild their lives”.

The 31-year-old woman, still under sedation in hospital a week after the attack in Clapham, was said to have only wanted to build a safe home for “her beautiful, kind little girls.”

Grace M, who has launched a GoFundMe appeal looking to raise £50,000 for the family, said: “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. All she has ever wanted is a safe home for her and her beautiful, kind little girls.”

Have you been affected by this? Email barney.davis.ind@independent.co.uk

Members of the public in Lessar Avenue, Clapham, rushed to help the family in the wake of the harrowing violence, a number of whom were injured themselves.

The friends’ statement continued: “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 Metropolitan Police warned that the facial injuries suffered by suspect Abdul Ezedi, 35, in the attack in Clapham, south London, could be fatal.

Detective Superintendent Rick Sewart, who is leading the hunt for the Afghan refugee, said: “The medical injuries to Ezedi appear very significant from imagery that we have recovered, to the right side of his face.

“And through the National Crime Agency we have received medical interpretation which would indicate that his injuries could be potentially fatal if not treated.”

Ezedi came to the UK hidden in a lorry in 2016, and was turned down twice for asylum before successfully appealing against the Home Office rejection by claiming he had converted to Christianity.

He was convicted of two sexual offences in 2018 but was allowed to stay in the UK because his crimes were not serious enough to meet the threshold for deportation.

A tribunal judge is understood to have ruled in favour of his asylum claim in 2020 after a retired Baptist church minister confirmed he had converted to Christianity, reportedly describing Ezedi as “wholly committed” to his new religion.

Commander Jon Savell, from the Met, said on Wednesday that the breakdown of the relationship between Ezedi and the 31-year-old mother could have been a motive for the attack.

Police have offered a £20,000 reward to anyone with information leading to the 35-year-old’s arrest after they released more CCTV of him as they piece together his movements.