Australian Girl Stabbed in London

An 11-year-old Australian girl has been released from the hospital after suffering serious injuries from a stabbing incident in London’s Leicester Square. The girl was attacked by 32-year-old Ioan Pintaru, a homeless Romanian national, who allegedly stabbed her eight times with a steak knife while she was on holiday with her mother. The attack occurred around 11:30 a.m. on Monday, and witnesses reported that members of the public intervened, preventing further harm to the child. The girl sustained wounds to her face, neck, shoulder, and wrist, requiring plastic surgery. Pintaru was apprehended at the scene by a security guard, Abdullah, who tackled him and disarmed him before police arrived. Pintaru has been charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article. During a brief court appearance, he was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey on September 10. The court heard that the attack was random, and investigators have not established a motive, ruling out any links to terrorism or recent violence in London. The girl's mother was initially thought to be injured as well, but it was later clarified that she was not harmed; blood from her daughter’s injuries was mistakenly attributed to her. The Australian government is providing support to the family following the traumatic incident, which has drawn significant media attention and public concern.