Heroic father ‘used hand’ to protect wife and daughter from sword attacker in London
Kya Buller
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/Henry Polania/PA
The news that a 14-year-old boy, now named as Daniel Anjorin, had been stabbed-to-death in Hainault, London on 30 April shocked the nation.
Marcus Arduini Monzo has been arrested and charged with the murder.
36-year-old Monzo is a dual Spanish-Brazilian national, from Newham, London. He has been described as a 'ghost' with 'no friends' by neighbours.
Four others were harmed as a result of the frenzied attack, alongside the devastating death of young Daniel, but their injuries weren't life-threatening.
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Two of the injured people have now been named as 35-year-old Henry de los Rios Polania and his four-year-old daughter.
The father and daughter were sleeping when Monzo allegedly broke into their home during his campaign of violence in northeast London.
It has now been alleged that Monzo was shouting about God when he attacked them.
Henry's sister, Jessica, has spoken out following the attack.
She shared that he held up his hands to protect his family members.
She said: "He’s very devastated to believe something like this could happen.
"To us, he’s our hero. He protected them, my niece and my sister-in-law.
"They were just literally sleeping, opened their eyes to see a man with a big machete sword.
"He felt helpless in the moment but to us he is our hero. It could have been extremely worse."
Henry is still recovering in hospital from wounds to his hands and neck.
A court has heard that Monzo allegedly hit a passer-by, Donato Iwule, when his van crashed into a fence in the area of Hainault.
He then threatened to kill him and cut his neck with a sword.
Prosecutors say his attack on the Polania family happened just 15 minutes later.
When he left the family home, this is when his murderous attack on Daniel took place.
He is accused of running up behind Daniel, taking his knife to his neck, and stabbing him in the chest as he lay defenceless on the floor.
Two police officers that arrived on scene and chased Monzo were attacked by him but their wounds were reported to not be thought of as life-threatening.
Monzo is accused of the attempted murder of police officer Yasmin Margaret Mechem-Whitfield after allegedly attacking her with his sword.
He has also been charged with injuring Inspector Moloy Elec Campbell, aggravated burglary and being in possession of a 'bladed article'.
Following the attack, London mayor Sadiq Khan made the statement: "I'm sure I speak for the entire city when I say our thoughts are with this young child and his family.
"It breaks my heart not only that this child has lost his life, but two members of our emergency services have risked their own safety to make sure others weren't injured.
"It shows the danger our police officers face every day and I thank them for their bravery."