Angel Lynn's family have shared an update on the 19-year-old's condition, after she fell from a van shortly after being kidnapped by her then boyfriend.
Angel was found by police lying on the A6 near Loughborough, after she fell from the van just minutes after she had been bundled inside by her then boyfriend.
Footage shows the moment Chay Bowskill, 20, kidnapped Angel in the silver van in Mountsorrel in September 2020.
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You can watch the clip below:
The van was travelling at 60mph and tragically, Angel suffered a fractured skull and severe brain injuries. She is unable to walk or talk.
Posting this week on Facebook page, 'Supporting Angel's Recovery' her family shared an update on her condition. They explained that in the past week, Angel "has started to squeeze our hand when we ask her things so a squeeze for yes and nothing for no" explaining that while she still cannot speak, "she will wave and give finger gestures".
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"She can give a tiny smile when asked and will blow a kiss before we leave her it’s difficult for her but slowly she does it," they added.
The family also spoke about progress Angel has made while using a tilt table, explaining: "She is able to tolerate an average of 20 minutes at 60 degrees tilt with supports. She is able to stand on the Adela advance frame for an average of 10 minutes with pelvic support and the assistance of three physiotherapy staff.
"PLEASE don’t assume Angel can stand or walk she can’t not by a long shot but this is a good start."
The family finished the post by explaining that despite Angel having a long way to go, they will "never give up trying".
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In January, Bowskill as well as his friend Rocco Sansome, 20 - who was also in the vehicle - were both sentenced. Bowskill was sentenced to a total of seven-and-a-half years in prison, while Sansome was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
Bowskill was also convicted of coercive and controlling behaviour and perverting the course of justice, but was found not guilty of a charge of grievous bodily harm.
In a statement, Angel's father Paddy, said: “Our lives have been changed beyond recognition forever. Angel was so full of life and had such a great future ahead of her. That future has sadly been taken away from her.
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“The catastrophic injuries Angel suffered will mean life will never be the same for her or our family. Every day is not only a huge struggle for Angel but also a huge struggle for our family and friends. We are lucky in some ways as we are a close family, we have lots of lovely friends who help us and people that care in other ways.
“We try to remain strong but we know that every day will be difficult and a struggle for us all especially for Angel. I know that Angel will never get married now and I will never get to walk my daughter down the aisle. Nikki and I will never be grandparents to Angel’s children. We don’t know what the future holds for our daughter but we try to put smiles on our faces each day but inside our hearts are bleeding out.
“We’d like to thank all the officers involved in the investigation, our family liaison officers and our barrister, Mr Janes for their support throughout the last 16 months. They have all worked so hard and their dedication to Angel’s case has been remarkable.”
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You can find more information on how to support Angel's recovery here.
If you have been affected by this article, you can find help, support and advice at Women's Aid.
Topics: News
Lucy Devine