Pennsylvania Granny Loses Vision In Both Eyes After Attacker Splashes Acid In Mysterious Attack

Helen Jones, a grandmother who was always known for her altruism in Philadelphia, lost her vision after succumbing to what seems like a hate crime. Jones’ family revealed that she was attacked with the chlorosulfuric acid right outside of her home on October 6 that led to permanent vision loss.

Jones, 61, was heading someplace as police reports suggest that she was walking toward her car at the time of the incident. Just then, a mystery man brushed past after splashing the acid on her face.

“There was a man there and he was like 'Hey, are you good?' As if he was inquiring about her safety making sure she was okay,” said Aneesha Summerville, Jones’ daughter. “And when she looked up to say 'yes,' he threw the stuff in her face and ran off,” she added. Summerville shared details of the incident on a GoFundMe page that was created in support of her mother. "Our family was not prepared for such devastation," she rued on the page.

The horrific accident has brought the family to its knees, as they now have plenty of things to look into – medical bills, trauma therapy needs, prescriptions, disability service needs, and the like.

“We are establishing this fund to help us navigate the endless bills and devastation this unknown masked man has caused Helen and our family,” said Summerville on the fundraiser's description. “Helen's road to recovery is just beginning and we appreciate all of you who want to help us help her,” she added.

What’s even daunting to note is that Jones is still oblivious to who the attacker really is. This is partly because the suspect was wearing a mask, in keeping with the COVID-19 regulations.

Inspector Michael McCarrick of the Philadelphia Police Department maintained that the attack seemed to be “a completely random incident.”

"If nothing happened in 20 years, the odds are nothing will happen again for 20 years. But with that we still have to conduct our investigation," said Mc Carrick to WPVI.

A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department told a media outlet on Wednesday that a further probe is underway with Northwest Detectives Division. The cops are yet to nab a suspect or make arrests in this regard.