UK
Man arrested after girl seriously injured in suspected acid attack outside school in London
Detectives investigating a suspected acid attack outside a school in central London have made an arrest.
Officers on patrol were flagged down by staff at a school in Alfred Road after a substance was allegedly thrown at two children and a staff member who rushed to help them.
A 14-year-old girl was left with potentially life-changing injuries. A boy, aged 16, and a 27-year-old woman were also injured in the attack, which happened at around 4.40pm on Monday.
A substance, believed to be acidic, was thrown at them outside Westminster Academy.
An investigation was launched and on Thursday, a 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, the Metropolitan Police said.
He was taken to a central London police station where he remains in custody.
Two students and a member of staff were injured in the attack. Pic: Marcin Nowak/LNP/Shutterstock
Detective Superintendent Scott Ware said: “The investigation team has been working tirelessly to piece together the events in which two young victims, aged 16 and 14, were approached outside the school by a lone man who threw a substance at them before fleeing.
“We launched an urgent manhunt to identify and arrest the man responsible for this horrific attack. I am pleased to confirm a man was arrested in the early hours of this morning in connection with the incident.
‘May be some time before true extent of injuries are known’
“The 14-year-old girl sustained serious injuries and has returned to hospital having been briefly discharged by doctors. It may still be some time before we know the true extent of how serious her injuries are, but at this time they are being treated as potentially life-changing.
“The 16-year-old boy has now been discharged by the hospital and fortunately, his injuries are not as severe as the girl’s.
“A member of staff from the school also sustained injuries as she rushed to the youngsters to provide first aid to them.”
He added: “If you were in the vicinity of Alfred Road around the time of the attack and have dashcam footage that could prove key to our investigation, we ask that you urgently get in touch with us.”
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The attack took place outside Westminster Academy in central London
GoFundMe page launched to help with costs of care and support
The injured girl’s father Corey McFarlane launched a GoFundMe page following the incident to help raise money to cover the costs of care and long-term support for his daughter.
Posting updates to the page on Thursday, Mr McFarlane said his daughter Teagan “will be going into theatre”, adding her “injuries are not life-threatening at this time, but it’s still early days, and she will need plenty of rest after her morning in surgery”.
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Attack has ‘deeply’ affected girl mentally
He thanked people for their “overwhelming support, kindness, and generosity” – and said the money raised would also help the family to relocate.
Mr McFarlane said the attack had “deeply” affected his daughter mentally, and she did not want to return to school.
“The funds will enable her to apply for private tuition, which is especially important as she prepares for her upcoming GCSEs during this critical year of her studies,” he said.
“We are immensely grateful for your continued support,” he wrote. “Please know that your kindness has brought us closer to a new chapter of healing and recovery, and we will forever be thankful for all that you have done,” he added.