CALGARY -- The father of a seven-year-old girl who suffered second-degree burns to her face and shoulders in a road rage incident earlier this month made a plea Thursday for those involved to come forward.

"Just apologize," said Fahim Mirza. "He might have seen my daughter sitting beside me. That's the hardest part. And it's all over the news, people see, people know, people talk, I don't know why his guts are not speaking up to it."

Mirza was driving home with his family, eastbound on 39th Avenue N.E. just before midnight on Aug. 15 when he says another vehicle ran a red light at 34th Street N.E., forcing him to hit his brakes. He also honked.

Mirza then exchanged words with the occupants of the other vehicle, and when they stopped at another set of lights a few blocks down the road, he says a passenger got out and threw what they believe was a cup of hot green tea into his vehicle. It first hit his mirror, then landed on his seven-year-old daughter, burning her face and shoulder.

Since the accident, Mirza said his daughter has asked why it happened to her, and whether she is still beautiful.

"We had to pause and see, 'what can we answer?' It was very heart touching and I hope it never happens to anyone again," said Mirza.

"Every day when you look at your child's face and you see those marks, it hurts, so I hope that somebody who has some kind of information, or even that person, comes up and admits that he was at fault. At least come out, be a man."

The man who allegedly threw the beverage is described as:

  • A South Asian man;
  • Believed to be in his early 20s;
  • Being approximately 173 cm (5-8) tall;
  • Having a solid build.

The other occupants of the car are described as South Asian men. The driver is believed to be a man in his mid-20s with a black beard. The front seat passenger, believed to be in his 60s, with short, white facial hair.

Police have released a surveillance image of the suspect vehicle.

"I speak to their better nature," said Staff Sgt. Lon Brewster. "I would suggest that somebody who is roughly 60 years old likely has children of their own, put yourself in this man's position."

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Calgary Police Service at 403-266-1234 or anonymous tips may be submitted to Crime Stoppers.