Police have arrested the man who allegedly grabbed two young girls at a Shake Shack next to the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side Monday morning.
Herbert Stokes, 36, a Wards Island resident, was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and sex abuse, police said Thursday.
Stokes allegedly approached the first victim, a 12-year-old, on a stairwell in the restaurant on Columbus Avenue near West 77th Street at about 11:30 a.m. and grabbed her waist, cops said.
The 12-year-old was able to pull away, police said.
About 10 minutes later, he allegedly approached another 13-year-old girl in front of the restaurant, hugged her and kissed her right cheek, authorities said.
The victim pulled away and Stokes allegedly fled on foot on Columbus Avenue, police said.
It wasn't immediately clear if Stokes had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
