Abigail Witchalls
Encyclopedia
Abigail Witchalls is an English
woman who was left paralysed
after being stabbed in front of her 21-month old son Joseph in Surrey
, England
, on 20 April 2005.
Born Abigail Hollins, the daughter of Dr. Martin Hollins and his wife the life-peeress Sheila Hollins
, she comes from a committed Roman Catholic family with ties to the Lay Community of St Benedict. Abigail married Benoit Witchalls on October 12, 2002.
On 20 April 2005, Abigail, while out walking with her son Joseph, was attacked by an unknown man, and was stabbed in the neck. She was pregnant at the time. She was found by a neighbour, and was taken to hospital. She was paralysed and unable to speak, and remained in intensive care for several weeks, communicating with her family and police by blinking. Police arrested three people, but later released them. She was initially treated at St George's Hospital
in Tooting
, then transferred to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
in Stanmore
for rehabilitation.
On 28 April 2005 a 23-year-old garden centre worker, Richard Cazaly, who lived close to the scene of the attack, took an overdose. He had driven to Scotland
two days earlier and died at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
on 30 April of liver failure
. In a suicide note to his girlfriend, Cazaly wrote: "To my dearest Nessa, I am so, so sorry! I guess there is 2 of me. I'm very scared but it'll all be over soon! And everyone will be better off. I don't remember what happened but I'm scared I did it. You deserve better. Your mum will look after you. Tell her I'm so sorry for all of this. All my love always & 4ever." The note does not make any clear reference to Abigail Witchalls.
On 18 May 2005 Abigail's husband, Benoit, was interviewed on BBC's Crimewatch programme, and said that he and his wife felt no anger towards the attacker. Discussing his wife's future, he said, "People live wonderful lives paralysed from the neck down. Our expectations have had to change drastically in the last three weeks, but that's not to say that we're not still going to live peaceful lives, with a family." Three weeks later it was announced that her unborn baby was developing normally.
Abigail's second son, Dominic Adrian, was born five weeks early on 11 November 2005. The birth was a natural one, and it was announced that she was breastfeeding, and that she had regained some use of her right arm.
On 22 November 2005 the police said that if Cazaly had been arrested in time, he would have been charged with attempted murder, and that they considered the case solved, despite Witchalls's failure to pick him out in a photograph identity parade.
In July 2006, Abigail and her family went on a pilgrimage
to Lourdes
to seek spiritual support. It was announced that a specially-adapted bungalow is being built for her, and that she hopes eventually to return to teaching.
In April 2009, it was reported that Mrs Witchalls had partly regained the ability to speak, and had dictated a chapter for a book about Lourdes
, the Catholic pilgrimage site in France
, which she and her family had visited since her attack. The London broadsheet, the Daily Telegraph, reproduced the chapter. Previously, she had been able to communicate only by blinking.
In June 2010, UK media announced that Abigail gave birth to a healthy daughter, Rebecca, at home on June 6, 2010.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
woman who was left paralysed
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
after being stabbed in front of her 21-month old son Joseph in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on 20 April 2005.
Born Abigail Hollins, the daughter of Dr. Martin Hollins and his wife the life-peeress Sheila Hollins
Sheila Hollins, Baroness Hollins
Sheila Hollins, Baroness Hollins, is a professor of the psychiatry of learning disability at St George's, University of London, and a crossbench life peer in the House of Lords since October 2010. She was President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists from 2005 to 2008, succeeded by Dinesh...
, she comes from a committed Roman Catholic family with ties to the Lay Community of St Benedict. Abigail married Benoit Witchalls on October 12, 2002.
On 20 April 2005, Abigail, while out walking with her son Joseph, was attacked by an unknown man, and was stabbed in the neck. She was pregnant at the time. She was found by a neighbour, and was taken to hospital. She was paralysed and unable to speak, and remained in intensive care for several weeks, communicating with her family and police by blinking. Police arrested three people, but later released them. She was initially treated at St George's Hospital
St George's Hospital
Founded in 1733, St George’s Hospital is one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals. It shares its main hospital site in Tooting, England with the St George's, University of London which trains NHS staff and carries out advanced medical research....
in Tooting
Tooting
Tooting is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, then transferred to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital is a specialist orthopaedic hospital located in London, United Kingdom and a part of Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust...
in Stanmore
Stanmore
Stanmore is a suburban area of the London Borough of Harrow, in northwest London. It is situated northwest of Charing Cross. The area is home to Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points of London, high.-Toponymy:...
for rehabilitation.
On 28 April 2005 a 23-year-old garden centre worker, Richard Cazaly, who lived close to the scene of the attack, took an overdose. He had driven to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
two days earlier and died at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh or RIE, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Edinburgh Royal Infirmary or ERI, was established in 1729 and is the oldest voluntary hospital in Scotland. The new buildings of 1879 were claimed to be the largest voluntary hospital in the United Kingdom, and later on...
on 30 April of liver failure
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
. In a suicide note to his girlfriend, Cazaly wrote: "To my dearest Nessa, I am so, so sorry! I guess there is 2 of me. I'm very scared but it'll all be over soon! And everyone will be better off. I don't remember what happened but I'm scared I did it. You deserve better. Your mum will look after you. Tell her I'm so sorry for all of this. All my love always & 4ever." The note does not make any clear reference to Abigail Witchalls.
On 18 May 2005 Abigail's husband, Benoit, was interviewed on BBC's Crimewatch programme, and said that he and his wife felt no anger towards the attacker. Discussing his wife's future, he said, "People live wonderful lives paralysed from the neck down. Our expectations have had to change drastically in the last three weeks, but that's not to say that we're not still going to live peaceful lives, with a family." Three weeks later it was announced that her unborn baby was developing normally.
Abigail's second son, Dominic Adrian, was born five weeks early on 11 November 2005. The birth was a natural one, and it was announced that she was breastfeeding, and that she had regained some use of her right arm.
On 22 November 2005 the police said that if Cazaly had been arrested in time, he would have been charged with attempted murder, and that they considered the case solved, despite Witchalls's failure to pick him out in a photograph identity parade.
In July 2006, Abigail and her family went on a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
to seek spiritual support. It was announced that a specially-adapted bungalow is being built for her, and that she hopes eventually to return to teaching.
In April 2009, it was reported that Mrs Witchalls had partly regained the ability to speak, and had dictated a chapter for a book about Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
, the Catholic pilgrimage site in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, which she and her family had visited since her attack. The London broadsheet, the Daily Telegraph, reproduced the chapter. Previously, she had been able to communicate only by blinking.
In June 2010, UK media announced that Abigail gave birth to a healthy daughter, Rebecca, at home on June 6, 2010.