Grandmother left blind following acid attack in Philadelphia, family says

‘When she looked up… he threw the stuff in her face and ran off,’ daughter says

Helen Jones, 61, was chemically assaulted with chlorosulfuric acid (GoFundMe /Aneesha Summerville)

A Philadelphia grandmother has been left blind following an unprovoked random acid attack.

Helen Jones, 61, was chemically assaulted with chlorosulfuric acid by an unknown man after leaving her house on 6 October, WPVI reported.

After being rushed to Temple University Hospital in critical condition, her daughter Aneesha Summerville told the broadcaster that the acid burned her mother's lips, tongue and eyes, leaving her blind.

"It's devastating," Ms Summerville said.

"(The doctors) just said that she's blind. They couldn't tell us if she would get her vision back or not," she told the broadcaster.

Ms Summerville said her mother did not know the man who attacked her, and that his nose and mouth were covered by a mask, but said she believes her mother would know him if she saw him.

“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 OK,” Ms Jones’ daughter said, describing the attack.

“And when she looked up to say yes, he threw the stuff in her face and ran off.”

Neighbor Dorothy Hannibal told WPVI: “I just heard a lot of screaming and she was banging on her door trying to get in.”

The Philadelphia Fire Department's Hazmat Unit identified the liquid by taking samples and then washed it away from the area.

The family have set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for the grandmother’s medical bills and to help cover the cost of adjusting to a new life, which has reached almost $37,000 of its $50,000 goal.

"She was very independent one moment, and the next moment we have to make sure we are around to make sure she's not knocking into anything or she's not going to get hurt," said Ms Summerville.

"It's really hard for us to adjust to what our reality might be.”

Inspector Michael McCarrick, with the Philadelphia Police Department, told the broadcaster that police are conducting an investigation into the incident.

They are said to be still searching for the suspect and the motive of the attack has not yet been determined.

"I just hope somebody comes forward so justice can be done for her," Ms Summerville said.