Leamington woman brutally assaulted has family asking for help
'She's like the town angel'
Two weeks ago, Haifa Gebrail would have been serving food at a church in Leamington. Instead, she's slowly recovering from a brutal assault.
Details are still scarce about what happened. Her uncle and power of attorney Sarkis Sleiman said OPP are investigating. Police have arrested a 44-year-old Leamington man who is facing attempted murder, aggravated assault and breach of probation charges.
Gebrail still needs help to breathe and eats with the assistance of a tube. Her uncle said they are slowly cutting back her pain medication and sedation to see if her consciousness is still there.
"They're giving her commands and they're looking for her to respond to the commands," Sleiman said.
Gebrail, who grew up in Leamington, has a learning disability — her uncle said she can't tell good from bad.
"She's like the town angel," Sleiman said. "Everybody is in shock to hear that this happened to her and this tragedy has turned a community into a unified front."
Sleiman has posted messages from the Gebrail family on his Facebook page and has received hundreds of comments from people talking about what she means to them, praying for her recovery and hoping to find justice.
Everybody is in shock to hear that this happened to [Gebrail] and this tragedy has turned a community into a unified front.- Sarkis Sleiman
Part of a post said, "Agents of chaos are never far from our lives. No amount of prayer or planning can effectively eliminate random violence or deter those who delight in hurting others. There are ways, however, to at least shield ourselves somewhat from known criminal elements that walk among us."
He's asking the community to come together.
"There are some bad people out there and they prey on the most vulnerable," said Sleiman. "People have to remember the most vulnerable don't necessarily see the bad in other people."
The incident has been traumatizing for Gebrail's family. As for Sleiman, his birthday just passed and he said there was a moment where he was able to envision himself interacting with his niece.
"She had touched my face and I'm talking to her and she's opening her eyes," he said.
"Every day is a traumatic experience."
View Sarkis Sleiman's full statement below:
