Police are investigating whether an acid attack which left a teenage girl with “life-changing” injuries is linked to a school dispute, the victim’s grandmother has said.
A 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy - were rushed to hospital along with a member of staff after acid was thrown on them outside Westminster Academy, near Paddington, on Monday afternoon.
The teenage girl’s grandmother Bridget McFarlane has spoken out following the “traumatic attack” and said she is confident that the authorities “know who it is” as the police hunt for the suspect entered its fourth day on Thursday morning.
She also told the MailOnline that the 14-year-old had to be readmitted to hospital on Wednesday, despite being released earlier in the week.
Ms McFarlane said: “It's all horrible. The police have got details of who did it and they are investigating.
“They kind of know who it is. It's a dispute with somebody at school.
“They have got lots of information and they have got cameras and that. Nothing like this has happened before.
'My son's at hospital at the moment but I was just going to visit them. It is just traumatic, so traumatic.”
The girl’s father Corey McFarlane, told The Standard his daughter was in a stable condition after sustaining burns to the left side of her face, but could be scarred for life.
The father explained that “words cannot express the shock, pain and trauma she is going through”.
“She’s very traumatised by the attack,” said Mr McFarlane, 37, from Westminster.
“She's very scared about her injuries. She's a young girl, and these scars could be for life. She's very worried about that and has been asking about that.”
Mr McFarlane has been staying at his daughter’s bedside in hospital following the “senseless act of violence” and has been waking up every couple of hours to administer eye drops and apply paraffin to her face “to keep everything in place.”
He added that he did not have any idea about the attacker’s motive.
His older daughter, aged 16, has been home since the attack. “She doesn't feel safe going out to school,” said Mr McFarlane.
The father has launched a GoFundMe page to help support his ”beautiful” daughter’s long-term recovery.
He described her as “a fighter” and called for her attacker to be brought to justice following the “unimaginable” attack.
Met Detective Chief Inspector Dean Purvis said the victims are believed to have been were outside the main school building of Westminster Academy on Alfred Road when the suspect attacked them, before fleeing down nearby Harrow Road.
The suspect is described as a tall, slim, Black male, wearing dark clothing with his face obscured, possibly by a mask or balaclava. He rode an e-scooter to and from the scene.
A 27-year-old member of staff from the school who “bravely and selflessly” rushed to give the pupils first aid was also taken to hospital for treatment to injuries she sustained but has since been discharged.
Two police officers were also taken to hospital as a precaution after feeling unwell, but have also been discharged.
Detectives have praised the member of staff for her “incredible” bravery, as well as the work of emergency services who attended the scene.
“The two teenage victims – a girl and a boy - remain in hospital,” said DCI Purvis on Tuesday. “For the 14-year-old girl we might not know for some time how severe her injuries are but at this time they are being treated as life-changing,” said DCI Purvis.
In a statement, school principal Numera Anwar said the “distressing” attack took place outside the main school building after hours as staff and pupils left for the day.
Ms Anwar said: “One pupil, a teacher and a member of the public have been injured in an incident outside the school building on the main road involving an acid-like corrosive substance.
“This was a distressing incident which took place after school hours when students and staff were leaving the school site.
“We are offering support to families and relatives of all involved.
“This is a difficult time for our community and I took the decision to close the school today to allow for a thorough investigation and to ensure the school can resume normally from tomorrow with all safety measures in place."
The leader of Westminster City Council, Cllr Adam Hug, described the attack as “truly shocking”.
