(ELMONT, N.Y.) - As 21-year-old Elmont resident Nafiah Ikram continues the struggle to regain her health after being attacked with acid in her own driveway, Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages (D - Lawrence) is urging officials to again increase the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her attacker.
In a Monday, May 24 letter to Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, Legislator Solages thanked her, Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Patrick Ryder and Crime Stoppers officials for previously doubling the reward to $20,000. However, he echoes the family’s belief that further increasing the reward could aid efforts to bring her attacker to justice and restore some of the peace of mind that has been torn away from her family.
Ikram was assaulted at 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17. According to NCPD officials, Ikram was walking on the driveway of her Arlington Avenue residence when was approached from behind by an unknown male. The suspect was carrying a white colored cup containing a dark colored substance which he then threw at the victim’s face. The suspect, who is described as approximately 6’2” tall, skinny build, wearing a black colored sweatshirt with a hood and wearing gloves, fled eastbound on Arlington Avenue.
According to a GoFundMe page (warning - graphic, distressing images), Ikram sustained severe burns to her face, eyes, chest, arms and lungs and was hospitalized for several weeks. She has lost nearly all her eyesight and it is unclear how much - if any - can be regained.
“The family believes that someone in the community has information on this attack, and that the Crime Stoppers reward should be further increased to ensure that information is received,” Legislator Solages wrote to County Executive Curran on May 24. “Therefore, Nafiah Fatima’s family and I respectfully request that the Crime Stoppers reward be increased for any information regarding the March 17 assault.”