Four adolescent girls, aged between 13 and 15, have been taken into custody by law enforcement officials in connection with an attempted theft and assault on a 71-year-old woman in a Brooklyn subway. The elderly woman, who was en route to church, was targeted by the girls who tried to snatch her purse. The girls were detained on Wednesday and Thursday and are now facing charges of robbery, assault, and harassment for the incident that occurred on New Year’s Day.
The victim, Linda Rosa, a retired computer operation worker for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, was leaving a No. 3 train at Hoyt Street around 6 p.m. when one of the girls attempted to grab her purse. Rosa, however, resisted and held onto her belongings. Another girl also tried to seize Rosa’s purse, even provoking her to a fight.
Rosa detailed the incident, explaining that one of the girls struck her in the face, causing her glasses to drop to the ground and leaving her with a cut on her nose. Despite the assault, Rosa continued to resist, even when one of the girls managed to snatch a pouch from her purse containing her ID and medical records.
Rosa’s resistance intensified as she fought back, trying to kick one of the girls. She fell during the struggle, but quickly rose, fearing another assault. She managed to grab the hair of one of the girls, pulling her down. When the second girl approached, Rosa repeated the move, holding both girls down.
Despite the other girls’ pleas to release them, Rosa held on and called for help. Eventually, she let the girls go and began to collect her belongings. The girls ran from the scene, and Rosa informed them she would be notifying the police.
Following the incident, Rosa sought assistance at the nearby Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. The staff there helped her and dialed 911. She was later transported to the Brooklyn Hospital Center for treatment. Despite the ordeal, Rosa expressed gratitude that the situation wasn’t worse. She also expressed forgiveness towards her attackers, attributing their actions to youthful foolishness.