A 50-year-old Nazareth resident was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly pouring acid on a 16-year-old girl's face after she refused to be betrothed to a man of his family. He was remanded in custody for five additional days.

The teen was taken to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa fearing eyesight damage. The hospital said she is in very serious condition. Doctors said that he eyesight has been damaged.

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A police investigation reveals that at an early morning hour the suspect knocked on the girl's window and poured the acid over her face as she opened it.

The suspect is denying the allegations claiming he was home watching a soccer game at the time. His attorney remarked that the man is related to the victim.





Victim in serious condition (Photo: Avishag Shaar-Yeshuv)

The girl, who was injured in her face and upper torso, was initially taken to a local hospital, but as her condition deteriorated it was decided to rush her to Haifa's Rambam Medical Center.

The hospital reported that some acid reached the girl's mouth, causing her trouble in respiration. She also suffered damage to her eyes, and doctors are currently fighting to save her eyesight.

The hospital's Deputy Director Doctor Miki Halbertal said that "the burns' are pretty severe, she was hurt in the face and neck and is hospitalized in the intensive care unit in the hospital's pediatrics ward."

A police source said that "We suspect the suspect he attacked the girl because she refused to marry a member of his family."

A relative of the girl told Ynet: "This is severe, the police must punish the man who let himself harm the girl and he ought to pay the price for ruining her bright future. The punishment for this should be no less that the punishment for murder."

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