Strangers have raised thousands of pounds for a girl beaten with a brass poll just for wearing a bikini.
The horrific moment Jessica Byrnes-Laird was attacked by a group of men who were catcalling her was caught in shocking CCTV footage.
The 18-year-old from Haughton, Louisina, was returning from a day at the beach with her boyfriend when they stopped at a convenience store.
Still wearing her bikini, Byrnes-Laird remained in the car while her boyfriend went into the shop. The shocking footage shows a group of men circling the car, and reportedly shouting lewd comments at her.
Jessica Byrnes-Laird after the incident
When her Byrnes-Laird's boyfriend returned, an altercation broke out between him and the group of men. It was then that a piece of brass pipe was thrown in the passenger side of the vehicle, smashing Byrnes-Laird in the face.
She told KTBS she has broken 10 teeth and had 'too many stitches to count'
"There's a little bit of fear, honestly, because going through this make you realize how delicate life is, and you never know what can happen," Byrnes-Laird said. "Things happen so suddenly, without warning."
A GoFundMe account has been set up to cover the inevitable dental bills. The fund has already reached over £11,500.