Infant dies at Soho day care
On his first day in day care, a 3-month-old boy died Monday at an unlicensed operator in Soho, police say.
Police were called a little after noon to Soho Child Care at 69 Greene St. and the baby, Karl Towndrow of Brooklyn Heights, was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
During the morning of July 13, the boy had been given a bottle and was put down to nap, according to several news reports. When the owner, Maryellen Strautmanis, went to check on the baby, his lips were blue and 911 was called, according to the reports.
The day care was unlicensed, according to police, which could mean that certification for emergency procedures, such as administering C.P.R., were not in place. The city closed it down Tuesday.
Police say that there is no criminality suspected, although the city Administration of Children’s Services is investigating the matter, according to reports. The medical examiner is investigating the cause of death and the family has been notified.
Panhandler attacks
A rejected panhandler punched a man walking back to his office two weeks ago.
On Tues., June 30, the 46-year-old was returning to work at 11:30 a.m., when he was approached by a panhandler in front of 83 Gold St., police say. When he refused, the beggar didn’t take it well — he started cursing and threatening the man.
The suspect then stuck his hands in his pants and said that he would shoot and kill the Long Island man, police say. In an attempt to escape, the man shoved the suspect, who then began punching the victim. The suspect fled.
Luckily, Lower Manhattan Hospital was right there and the man went in to check the scratches and bruises to his head and knees that he got in the scuffle.
Fired worker arrested after assaults
A disgruntled worker returned to a Tribeca restaurant last week and beat up two former colleagues sending them to Bellevue Hospital.
On Wed., July 8, at 5:45 p.m. the former employee of Baba Ghanouge at 165 Church St. returned with three friends and got into an argument with his former co-worker, blaming the victim for the firing. The suspect, 30, then hit the first victim, a 24-year-old man, on the head with a beer bottle. The injury to the head caused the man to fall to the sidewalk. According to the second victim, also a restaurant employee, the four men started kicking and punching the other victim as he lay on the sidewalk. The man soon lost consciousness.
The second employee, 30, was just getting off his shift when he saw the attack and ran to call 911. As he was doing so, he said the four suspects caught him, tripped him and then began to assault him. They stole his cellphone and wallet before fleeing the scene.
Police arrested the disgruntled worker later that day. Police say he took full responsibility for the attacks and said his friends were there just to observe.
Anti-Muslim attack on teen woman
Police said that on Sat., July 11, at about 10:40 p.m., a 19-year-old woman was approached by an unidentified man in front of 109 East Broadway, and they became engaged in a verbal dispute. The man made anti-Muslim statements and then started to spit and punch the victim in the face, according to police. He then continued walking on Eldridge St. and fled to parts unknown. The woman suffered a fractured jaw and was transported to Beth Israel Hospital in stable condition.
The suspect is described as a black man, about 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 tall, wearing a hat, pants and shirt that were all dark colored and carrying a plastic bag. Police posted video of the suspect walking on Eldridge St. and in Chinatown after the incident, but it doesn’t have a clear view of the suspect’s face
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the New York Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Web site, www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or texting to 274637(CRIMES) and then entering TIP577. All tips are confidential.
Snatch phone, then pedal
A woman, 61, was walking in Hudson Square while using an $800 Samsung Galaxy phone for directions when a man on a bike snatched the cell as well as her wallet from her hand and took off, police say.
The grab took place in front of 278 Spring St. between Hudson and Varick Sts. on Sat., July 4 at 2 p.m., police say. The suspect fled north on Hudson.
Later, the woman, who lives near Herald Square, was notified by her bank that an attempt to use her credit cards in the East Village had been unsuccessful. In addition to the phone and various credit cards, the thief, got the woman’s weekly MetroCard. Police say there was no cash in the wallet.
Seaport shopper out a motorcycle
A shopping day in the Seaport was ruined for a man who had his $25,000 2014 gray custom Novelo motorcycle stolen.
The Upstate man, 54, had parked his bike across from 89 South St. on Sun., July 12 at 11:30 a.m. to look around at shops in the Seaport, police say. When he returned at 3:30 p.m. the motorcycle was gone.
Cop chases down shoplifter
A thief picked the wrong Duane Reade in the Financial District to shoplift from on Tues., July 7.
The man, 28, stole 10 lipsticks, worth $156, two lip liners and two boxes of nail art from the Duane Reade at 67 Broad St. at 10 a.m., according to police.
Unbeknownst to the thief, a police officer was watching the surveillance video and saw the snatch happen. The police officer then identified himself several times to the suspect as he chased after him for two blocks. The suspect not only ran, according to the arresting officer, but also tried to punch him and then resisted arrest. The man was arrested and all of the merchandise was recovered.
Uneasy rider
A man didn’t take kindly to being told by a M.T.A. driver that he couldn’t board the bus with his bike — he rammed his bike at the driver, police say.
The man attempted to get on the bus at the corner of Broadway and Park Row in the Civic Center on Sat., July 4 at 7:45 a.m. when the bus driver said he was not allowed on the bus with his bike. The suspect then said, “But I will kick your [butt],” according to police. He then tried to ram his bike at the driver, 41, who had scratches and minor bruises on his arm.
The suspect had fled by the time the police arrived.
Pricey bike stolen
It took less than 20 minutes for a thief to clip a chain and get away with a $2,100 bike in the middle of the day, police say.
A Queens man, 37, chained his bike in front of 183 Varick St. on Tues., June 30 at 1:30 p.m. and went to the nearby Marriott hotel for about 20 minutes. When he returned his Cannondale silver and white bike was gone. Video cameras from 185 Varick St. showed the suspect stealing the bike and then leaving the scene, police say.
Tourist taken
A tourist was sure he hadn’t been robbed — until his credit cards were used to buy MetroCards.
The 25-year-old man from North Carolina told police he had misplaced his wallet while riding a northbound J train at 11:40 a.m. on Sun., July 5. He told police that he was not the victim of a crime.
Two days later, he told police he noticed there had been unauthorized charges for $117.50 at a M.T.A. vending machine at the Fulton Center in the Financial District.
— DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC & LINCOLN ANDERSON
