Clapham alkali attack victim ‘a devoted and loving mother’, say friends

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Friends of the woman left severely injured after being doused with a corrosive substance in south London have described her as “a devoted and loving mother”.

The group said the victim was “a wonderful cook and host” and praised her neighbours for being “angels” by helping in the aftermath of the attack.

Abdul Ezedi, 35, is accused of pouring a strong alkali on the woman – his former partner – and injuring her two young children, aged three and eight, on Wednesday January 31 in Clapham, south London.

The 31-year-old woman may lose the sight in her right eye and remains sedated in hospital.

She is still too ill to speak to police and her injuries were so severe the incident is being treated as attempted murder.

In a statement released to the PA news agency, close friends of the victim, who have launched a fundraiser 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.”

Members of the public in Lessar Avenue, Clapham, rushed to help the family in the wake of the attack, and a number 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.”

A fundraiser launched on GoFundMe to support the family has so far raised more than £7,500.

Police revealed on Wednesday the woman had been in a relationship with Ezedi, and the breakdown of their relationship was a possible motive for the attack.

A major manhunt remains under way for the suspect, with two raids carried out by armed police at addresses in Newcastle early on Thursday morning.

The fundraiser for the family can be found at gofundme.com/support-the-family-of-the-clapham-chemical-attack.