A South African man poured acid on his 22-year-old ex-girlfriend early this month, leaving her ignored by police despite the third degree burns covering her body.
The suspect broke up with Ines Antonio 3-years-ago after she revealed she was pregnant with his baby, IOL reported.
"Ines is a lovely, gentle young woman who would not hurt a fly," an unnamed co-worker of Antonio's said to IOL. "After she gave birth, she returned to school and was waiting to write one of her final matric exams on November 4, on the morning of the incident, when the ex-boyfriend arrived and said he had gifts for the child"
"He lured her to his car on that pretext, opened the boot and threw acid over her," she continued. "She managed to protect the child throughout the attack, and thankfully only her child's hands were burnt."
Police alleged that the did not yet take a statement form Antonio because Antonio could not speak due to the third-degree burns covering 70 percent of her body, IOL reported.
Her co-worker said she was visiting Antonio all week and allegedly would have been able to give police a statement. The suspect is apparently still taunting Antonio through text messages.
"It is unacceptable that the police have done nothing despite the fact that she was almost killed and that he continues threatening her," the co-worker said to IOL.
Antonio was carrying her daughter at the time of the attack. She managed to mostly protect her daughter whose hands got burned in the incident. Antonio's daughter is her only family according to her co-worker.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the case is still being investigated.
"The suspect has disappeared from his last known address. The police are following leads that he might be in the Pretoria area," Diamini said.
