Woman suffers extreme burns after attacker poured unknown liquid on her | EUROtoday

A Georgia lady is recovering from extreme burns after somebody poured a corrosive chemical onto her head whereas she was strolling at a public park in Savannah, the sufferer’s son and a detailed good friend mentioned Friday.

Savannah police confirmed they’re looking for a suspect within the chemical assault at Forsyth Park, one of many historic metropolis’s landmark inexperienced areas that draws runners, picnickers, enjoying kids and sightseeing vacationers. Police mentioned the girl seems to have been attacked by a stranger.

The sufferer, 46-year-old Ashley Wasielewski, was being handled for second- and third-degree burns at a burn heart in Augustaher son, Westley Wasielewski, advised The Associated Press. He mentioned the accidents cowl roughly half her physique, together with her scalp, face, palms and legs.

“We don’t know who did it,” he said. “She doesn’t have any enemies. She is a friend to everyone.”

Westley Wasielewski mentioned his mom was strolling laps on the park on Wednesday evening after attending a Christmas program at a close-by church. He came upon concerning the assault in a name from a bystander who got here to his mom’s assist. He mentioned he may hear her agonized screams over the cellphone.

From her hospital mattress, Ashley Wasielewski advised household and mates she was strolling the sidewalk alongside the park’s perimeter when she seen a shadow from somebody approaching her from behind. She was turning to face the particular person when he poured some liquid over her head, mentioned Connor Milam, a detailed good friend.

“She was instantly like, `Why are you pouring water on me?’ And then her skin started to burn,” mentioned Milam, who has been on the burn unit along with her good friend. “She looked down and her pants were starting to burn off her body. She started screaming.”

Savannah police spokesman Neil Penttila mentioned Friday that detectives are working with the FBI to establish the chemical used within the assault. Wasielewski’s son mentioned investigators advised the household it was so corrosive that it melted the important thing fob to his mom’s automobile that was in her pocket.

Savannah Police Chief Lenny Gunther mentioned officers have been conducting additional patrols at parks all through Savannah for the reason that assault. No arrests had been introduced by Friday afternoon.

Police mentioned they had been searching for an individual of curiosity and launched a safety digital camera picture of a person carrying what seemed to be a darkish hoodie with a big cartoon rabbit on the entrance. Police mentioned in a social media put up that the person was “not currently a suspect in any crime.”

“Our Police Department is treating this case with the highest urgency,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson mentioned in a Facebook put up. He added: “While this attack is deeply troubling, there is currently no information indicating a broader or ongoing threat to the public.”

Police didn’t identify Wasielewski because the sufferer. Her son and Milam each mentioned she needed to share her story in hopes that folks would come ahead with info that helps police make an arrest.

Milam described her good friend as a giving one that volunteered at a neighborhood nature heart and packed grocery baggage with snacks, toiletries and different necessities to offer to homeless folks. She mentioned these near Wasielewski are shocked and baffled by the assault.

“They didn’t rob her. They didn’t take something from her,” Milam said. “This was a random person in the park who went out of their way to disfigure another human being.”