A mother who survived a vicious stabbing in 2016 at the hands of her partner has revealed she is still suffering from the brutality of the attack.
Natalie Queiroz, now 46, from Sutton Coldfield, was stabbed by partner Babur Karamat Raja in 2016 with a 12-inch carving knife.
Raja tried to murder his partner after his ultra-religious mother had found out she was expecting, but miraculously both 32-week pregnant Natalie and her baby managed to survive the violent onslaught.
This was thanks to a breast implant protecting her heart, meaning the knife missed the vital organ by just 2mm, saving both their lives.
But the product development manager for a pharmaceutical company was left with wounds to her heart, lung, liver and uterus and deep cuts to her wrists.
Babur Karamat Raja (pictured, left) with partner Natalie Queiroz (pictured, centre) and her two children. He tried to kill her and their unborn child in 2016
And mother-of-three Natalie is still suffering from the attack, having her little finger amputated this week.
Ahead of the terrifying operation, she took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal that that she was feeling ‘pretty nervous’.
After the op, she returned to social media to update well wishers. In typically stoic fashion, Natalie wrote: ‘Then there were 4… So it’s all done. Thank you for the lovely messages
‘Op went well. Done under nerve block so I was awake for it, but heavily sedated.’
In a further show of resilience, Natalie then joked, saying she was ‘hoping for cut price manicures & gloves’.
When considering Natalie’s recovery now, it’s remarkable to look at the sheer viciousness of the attack, during which she was stabbed a staggering 24 times.
After being rescued by strangers, including a teenager who pulled Raja away from her, Natalie was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in London to undergo emergency surgery.
When she woke, her new daughter was lying next to her after being born by caesarean section. According to reports, when she asked for Raja, she only then learnt it was he who had tried to kill both her and their unborn daughter.
Raja (pictured) stabbed Natalie a staggering 24 times during the vicious attack, which he carried out after his ultra-religious mother had found out Natalie was pregnant with his child
In fact, in a bid to disguise himself while hurting her, Raja had put a rucksack under his jumper, so Natalie was less likely to recognise him as he looked fatter.
Speaking to the Mirror about what happened after the attack, the brave mother revealed that her ‘world fell apart’ and that she was ‘utterly broken’ – but she needed to carry on for her daughters.
Leaving the hospital two weeks after the stabbing, doctors said they had no idea how she had survived the attack.
But what had prompted such a shocking unleashing of violence?
After all, Natalie had known Raja for 25 years, they were old school friends, then he got in touch with her on Facebook.
This led to a whirlwind romance – within two weeks, Raja told Natalie he loved her – and he moved in a few months later.
Natalie described the relationship as as ‘fairy tale’ and said he was ‘brilliant’ with her two daughters from a past relationship.
Raja said he wanted to be a father, and was delighted when Natalie fell pregnant.
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She, however, had some fears that his family wouldn’t accept her, because they were strict Muslims. In addition, Raja’s mother wanted him to have an arranged marriage.
Staggeringly brave Natalie (pictured while appearing on This Morning in 2017) has since campaigned against knife violence
Even so, no one could have predicted what was to happen when his mother found out that the couple were to become parents.
At this point, when Natalie was eight months pregnant, Raja asked her to meet him in Sutton Coldfield town centre.
Making her way to meet him, Natalie took a shortcut through an alleyway. It was here that she was attacked by what she describes as a ‘scruffy man’ – a man she did not know at the time was her lover.
He repeatedly stabbed her in the chest, until two passersby tried to restrain him. But Raja broke free and chased Natalie down, sawing at her wrist with the knife and stabbing her in the stomach.
When a teenage boy came to help, and a nearby police patrol intervened after hearing her screaming, she was taken to hospital where she would undergo the emergency surgery that saved her life.
Since then, despite the ongoing emotional and physical toll of the assault, Natalie has gone on to help others since the attack, becoming an anti-knife crime campaigner and youth mentor.
And her efforts were recognised earlier this year, when when she received an MBE for ‘Services To Young People and The Prevention of Knife Crime’ from Princess Anne at Windsor Castle on February 28.
Despite enduring the horrific trauma, Natalie has been able to help others, receiving an MBE for ‘Services To Young People and The Prevention of Knife Crime’ (pictured with Raja)
In a twist of fate, this was seven years to the week of the knife attack, which took place on March 4.
In 2019, Natalie published a book about her experiences, called Still Standing. Its logline reads: ‘A Pregnant Woman. A brutal attack. An inspirational fight for survival.’
The book’s publisher says it tells ‘the story of one life-shattering event’. It also discusses ‘what came before that fateful day, what happened on it, and how one woman and her baby survived to rebuild and heal together after it’.
It continues: ‘At once a shocking story of evil, manipulation and violence, and a truly moving reminder that a life can be pieced back together, no matter how bad the damage, this book will empower and inspire anyone who has ever faced true adversity to rise up and stand tall.’
Last September, Natalie was among the honours recipients from the late Queen’s last birthday honours list to be invited to Her Majesty’s funeral at Westminster Abbey.
In a show of how far she has come, Natalie – who said she felt she would never be with someone again – was accompanied her then-fiancé Simon Lyttle (the pair tied the knot in October that year, after getting engaged on New Year’s Eve 2019).
In 2016, Babur Karamat Raja was jailed for 18 years for attempted murder, and attempted child destruction.
The couple (pictured) had known each other for 25 years before the brutal attack, which doctors said should have killed Natalie as it was so severe
He claimed he’d tried to kill his partner because he was ‘under pressure’ from his religious family, who would never accept the relationship.
The Mercedes repair firm boss also added that was was having financial difficulties leading up to the attack.
Natalie, who said she was devastated with the short length of the sentence, said she mourned him afterwards, as she felt he ‘died that day’.
Visiting him in prison several months after the attack, she says he showed no remorse, and ‘apologised so casually’ to her.
Natalie added: ‘He…spoke as if I had been attacked by someone else, telling me I’m brave and he’s proud of me. I’ve had intensive therapy to overcome my post-traumatic stress disorder.’
