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| Naomi Oni, Dagenham acid attack victim, 'wanted to die' | Naomi Oni, Dagenham acid attack victim, 'wanted to die' |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| A woman has said she did not want to live when she saw herself for the first time after having acid thrown in her face near her home in east London. | A woman has said she did not want to live when she saw herself for the first time after having acid thrown in her face near her home in east London. |
| Naomi Oni, 20, said she was attacked by a person wearing a veil covering their face after getting off a bus in Lodge Avenue, Dagenham, on 30 December. | Naomi Oni, 20, said she was attacked by a person wearing a veil covering their face after getting off a bus in Lodge Avenue, Dagenham, on 30 December. |
| She said: "I've never been so scared in my life. I just knew it was acid. | She said: "I've never been so scared in my life. I just knew it was acid. |
| "The first time I looked I was shocked. I didn't want to live after I saw my face." | "The first time I looked I was shocked. I didn't want to live after I saw my face." |
| Miss Oni, who worked at the Victoria's Secret lingerie store in Westfield, Stratford, is recovering after undergoing surgery for burns sustained in the attack. | |
| 'That person failed' | 'That person failed' |
| When she first saw herself in the mirror she said: "My head was 10 times the size, my face was black, my eyes were swollen and my eyes were cutting out. | When she first saw herself in the mirror she said: "My head was 10 times the size, my face was black, my eyes were swollen and my eyes were cutting out. |
| "I thought I was going to go blind: I was terrified." | "I thought I was going to go blind: I was terrified." |
| Determined to stay positive despite her injuries, she said things could have been much worse. | Determined to stay positive despite her injuries, she said things could have been much worse. |
| "That person failed, whatever their aim was they failed. | "That person failed, whatever their aim was they failed. |
| "God has given me a life for a reason and that's what keeps me going." | "God has given me a life for a reason and that's what keeps me going." |
| She told BBC London she was making her way home from work when the attack happened at about 00:40 GMT. | She told BBC London she was making her way home from work when the attack happened at about 00:40 GMT. |
| "I got off the bus stop of my house and was about to cross the road, I felt a presence behind me so I decided to look back. | "I got off the bus stop of my house and was about to cross the road, I felt a presence behind me so I decided to look back. |
| "I saw what seemed to be a lady wearing what I think is a hijab (sic), which was mostly black. | "I saw what seemed to be a lady wearing what I think is a hijab (sic), which was mostly black. |
| "I remember being startled and shocked, thinking 'I don't remember her getting off the bus with me, I didn't hear footsteps behind me'. | "I remember being startled and shocked, thinking 'I don't remember her getting off the bus with me, I didn't hear footsteps behind me'. |
| "The person was just staring back at me." | "The person was just staring back at me." |
| 'Screaming hysterically' | 'Screaming hysterically' |
| Miss Oni said as she turned her head back she "felt something being thrown at her and felt a splash". | Miss Oni said as she turned her head back she "felt something being thrown at her and felt a splash". |
| "I ran home down the road screaming hysterically shouting on the phone to my boyfriend telling him to call 999. | "I ran home down the road screaming hysterically shouting on the phone to my boyfriend telling him to call 999. |
| "I got to my door and was shouting acid, acid, acid. | "I got to my door and was shouting acid, acid, acid. |
| "Before I could feel it burning, I just knew it was acid, I thought OK someone is out to... kill me." | "Before I could feel it burning, I just knew it was acid, I thought OK someone is out to... kill me." |
| Relatives helped her flush her face with water before paramedics arrived at the house. | Relatives helped her flush her face with water before paramedics arrived at the house. |
| Miss Oni said: "I was scared, I was shaking, I've never been so scared in my life." | Miss Oni said: "I was scared, I was shaking, I've never been so scared in my life." |
| She has since been released from hospital having undergone skin grafts. | She has since been released from hospital having undergone skin grafts. |
| And she says while she feels lucky not to have been blinded, she has no idea why she was targeted. | And she says while she feels lucky not to have been blinded, she has no idea why she was targeted. |
| "I have no clue why someone would do this to me. | "I have no clue why someone would do this to me. |
| "I still ask myself the same question every day, Why me? What have I done? I didn't understand." | "I still ask myself the same question every day, Why me? What have I done? I didn't understand." |
| The Metropolitan Police have said officers were keeping an open mind as to the motive. No arrests have been made. | The Metropolitan Police have said officers were keeping an open mind as to the motive. No arrests have been made. |