Four young girls, ranging in age from 13 to 15, have been apprehended by authorities following an attempted robbery and assault on a 71-year-old woman in a Brooklyn subway. The elderly woman, who was on her way to church, was attacked by the girls who attempted to steal her purse. The girls were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday and are facing charges of robbery, assault, and harassment for the incident that took place on New Year’s Day.
The victim, Linda Rosa, a retired Metropolitan Transportation Authority computer operation worker, was exiting a No. 3 train at Hoyt Street around 6 p.m. when one of the girls tried to snatch her purse. Rosa, however, refused to let go of her belongings. Another girl also attempted to take Rosa’s purse, even challenging her to a fight.
Rosa recounted the incident, stating that one of the girls punched her in the face, causing her glasses to fall to the ground and leaving her with a cut on her nose. Despite the attack, Rosa continued to resist, even when one of the girls managed to grab a pouch from her purse containing her ID and medical records.
Rosa’s resistance escalated as she fought back, attempting to kick one of the girls. She fell during the struggle, but quickly got up, fearing another attack. 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 let them go, Rosa held on and called for help. Eventually, she released the girls and began to gather her belongings. The girls fled the scene, and Rosa informed them she would be contacting the police.
Following the incident, Rosa sought help at the nearby Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. The staff there assisted her and called 911. She was later taken 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.