On Wednesday evening, a toddler and her mother suffered life-changing injuries after an alkaline substance was thrown at them in a “targeted” attack. A total of 11 people were rushed to hospital after the vicious attack
The woman and her three-year-old daughter, alongside her other daughter, eight, remain in hospital following the horror incident in south London, the Met Police confirmed.
A desperate manhunt is now under way for the “dangerous” suspect, who is believed to be known to the mother. The man also allegedly threw the younger child to the ground in the gruesome attack in Lessar Avenue, near Clapham Common, south London, at about 7.25pm.
Police said in his attempt to drive away from the scene, the attacker crashed into a stationary vehicle and made off on foot.
Three members of the public who came to the aid of the family, two in their 30s and one in her 50s, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns injuries.
The force said five officers who responded to the incident have also been treated and have now left hospital.
Superintendent Gabriel Cameron, a senior officer in Lambeth, said: “We believe the man and woman are known to each other. Our investigation is in its early stages and we are working to establish why this awful incident has happened. Officers from across the Met are working with partner agencies and forces to locate and arrest the man.
“While this appears a targeted attack, he is a dangerous individual and we urgently need to find him. We will release more information about him as soon as we can.”
Speaking on Jeremy Vine on 5 this morning, Cherry Healey called the vile attack “sinister” and echoed the thoughts many Londoners are thinking: “It’s really scary because it feels really random.”
