Clapham chemical suspect Abdul Ezedi killed himself in Thames hours after attack

Clapham chemical suspect Abdul Ezedi took his own life and drowned hours after attacking his ex-girlfriend and her two children.

The 35-year-old hurled oven cleaner over the woman and her two daughters, aged eight and three, in south London at around 7.30pm on January 31.

He also slammed the three-year-old’s head on the ground in the attack before fleeing the scene.

Ezedi’s body was recovered from the River Thames weeks later on February 19 after a huge manhunt saw detectives track his final movements along the river on CCTV.

Police attend the crime scene off Clapham Common where the attack took place (Picture: w8media)

Abdul Ezedi pictured at King’s Cross underground station just over an hour after the attack (Picture: PA)

A timeline of Ezedi’s last known movements on the night of the attack (Picture: Metro.co.uk)

Senior Coroner Mary Hassell ruled at Poplar Coroners Court that Ezedi, who was found just beneath Chelsea Bridge, died from suicide and drowned.

She told the inquest at Poplar Coroner’s Court in east London: ‘The circumstances surrounding his death are clear in part.

‘The evidence of the Metropolitan Police Service is that he is likely to have entered the River Thames at Chelsea Bridge at approximately 11.30pm.

‘It seems likely to me that he drowned almost immediately and, although he was not found until February 19, 2024, I will put his death as January 31.’

Ruling out the possibility that he was pushed or fell into the water by accident, the coroner said: ‘I have no evidence at all that Mr Ezedi was pushed.

Ezedi pictured walking along Upper Thames Street (Picture: PA)

‘The CCTV as described to me by the Metropolitan Police Service does not indicate the presence of any person or persons close to Mr Ezedi on the bridge.

‘While I regard it as possible that Mr Ezedi was pushed, I don’t regard that as likely, and so I consider the final option; that he jumped into the water.

‘Given all the circumstances including what happened earlier in the day, it is likely that he jumped into the water, and it is likely that he did so with the intention of ending his life.

‘A determination of suicide is the appropriate determination.’

Ezedi came to the UK hidden in a lorry in 2016.

He was turned down twice for asylum before successfully appealing against the Home Office rejection by claiming he had converted to Christianity.

He was convicted of two sexual offences in 2018 at Newcastle Crown Court and handed a suspended sentence with an unpaid work order.

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