Father of suspected acid attack victim says daughter is 'traumatised' after incident in Paddington

The father of a teenage girl has said his daughter is “traumatised” after being injured in a suspected acid attack outside a school in west London.

Two other victims - a boy aged 16 and a 27-year-old teacher who had rushed to help - were also injured after the substance, believed to be acidic, was thrown at the victims outside Westminster Academy in Paddington on Monday afternoon.

Corey McFaralane, the father of the 14-year-old schoolgirl, 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.

Police believe the teenagers were approached by a lone suspect on Alfred Road, with a member of staff left injured after she rushed to help. The suspect is then thought to have fled on an e-scooter down Harrow Road.

Mr McFaralane, 37, from Westminster said: “She’s very traumatised by the attack.

“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 said he has been staying at his daughter’s bedside in hospital, waking every couple of hours to administer eye drops and apply paraffin [a product which softens and moisturizes the the skin] to her face “to keep everything in place”.

He said: “I can’t explain what I’m going through. Words can’t explain it.”

He added that the family “haven’t got any idea” of the motive behind the attack.

His older daughter, aged 16, has been at home since the attack and no longer feels safe going out to school.

Mr McFarlane has also set up a GoFundMe for his daughter which aims to raise £9,000.

According to the donation page, the funds would “help cover her expenses and support her journey to recovery”.

In a message posted on the site, Mr McFarlane said: “Words cannot express the shock, pain, and trauma she is going through right now, both physically and emotionally. This senseless act of violence has left her with severe injuries that require urgent and long-term medical care, surgeries, rehabilitation, and mental health support.

“We are humbly asking for donations to help cover her expenses and support her journey to recovery. Any contribution, big or small, will make a huge difference in her life and help us take the first steps towards healing from this unimaginable attack.”

Both teenage victims remain in hospital, with the boy’s injuries described as not life-threatening or life-changing.

The 27-year-old woman has since been discharged.

Parents in west London says they're scared to send their children to school after three people were injured in a suspected acid attack outside the academy's gates.

Speaking to ITV News London, one parent, whose children attend Westminster Academy in Paddington, said it's not the first time she's heard of crime in the area.

Her children said they're worried to go to school in case something similar happens again,

which has left parents concerned for leaving them alone. Some are even considering changing schools.

Westminster Academy reopened to students on Wednesday after closing for a day following the attack.

In a statement on Tuesday school principal Numera 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 local Queen's Park and Maida Vale MP, Labour's Georgia Gould, said: We were deeply shocked by this incident.

"The school is such a wonderful community - its a place where people come together and feel safe so it's a really shocking thing to happen to two young people.

"I think the spirit of the school is best summed up by the way the teacher rushed in to support the students. And, I hope that's what people take away about Westminster Academy."

Scotland Yard said two officers were also taken to hospital as a precaution after they reported feeling unwell.

Lead investigator, Detective Chief Inspector Dean Purvis, described the incident as "incredibly concerning" and has ensured parents and the wider community that an investigation is under way.

He said: "If you have information that can help us, it is imperative that you tell us immediately.

"The area at the time was busy with people and cars. I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who might have captured dash cam footage that can help us establish what happened."

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 suspect has not yet been found and no arrests have been made.

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