A 13-year-old girl who was allegedly the "main aggressor" in the violent robbery of a 76-year-old woman who tried to fend off three people as they fought to get in the front door of her Bronx apartment building earlier this week has been arrested, a police source with direct knowledge of the case said Wednesday.
The girl is accused of robbery and assault in Monday's hip-fracturing attack on the woman at her Pelham Bay building, near Roberts and Hobart avenues, weren't immediately clear.
Surveillance video obtained earlier this week shows the woman struggling to keep the front door of her building closed, but the attackers were able to force their way in.
One grabs the woman's purse, spins her and throws her to the ground, a fall which broke the woman's hip. After she falls, another suspect is seen smirking on camera. They took off out the front door with her purse, which had about $50 and her wallet, along with a debit card and insurance cards inside, authorities have said.
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A neighbor said he saw the woman on the ground and ran outside to help.
"She was laying right there. I said are you OK and she said 'No my hip hurts, my back hurts,'" said Benny Santiago, who has known the victim for more than a decade. He said she has a pet rabbit and loves spending time with people, including her son, Sean.
Sean says his mom may never fully recover from the attack.
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"For something like this to happen is completely senseless and random violence. It’s shocking and heartbreaking," he said. "She loves to go out and hang out with her girlfriends, she goes dancing maybe once a month at a bar that has live music. She was out that night. She had her dancing shoes on."
But now, his mother has a long road to recovery in front of her and there’s no guarantee she’ll be able to dance — or even walk — like before.
"She was somebody that was walking around everywhere and helping everyone else out. I don’t think she saw the rest of her life using a walker, which is a real possibility," Sean said.
Neighbors said they recognized one of the young attackers and say she’s known for causing problems in the area. They said they have called police on her before and hope the young person gets help — but also that she’s held accountable for the violent attack. It wasn't clear if that is the "main aggressor" police said is now in custody.
"Who does that? Who thinks that’s OK? And who thinks this, for like three young people to gang up on an old person?" Sean asked.
