Police in Westminster have released CCTV footage and images of a woman wanted by police following reports of a one-year-old baby boy being assaulted on Friday, 16 January.
A woman with a baby in a pushchair entered Boots at 5 The Strand around 12:30. She appeared to have been followed in by the suspect who walked straight to the pushchair and reached into it taking hold of the baby’s throat for a second. The mother of the baby had originally thought that the suspect was going to just look and fuss over her baby, but when she saw what was actually happening, she immediately grabbed the suspect’s hand to prevent the assault from continuing.
The suspect uttered the words “that baby would rather be dead” as she was escorted out by a security guard at Boots. She then proceeded to walk off towards Trafalgar Square.
The baby was not injured due to his mother’s quick reaction, however she was extremely shaken up and traumatised by the incident.
The suspect is described as a white woman in her early 60s, 5ft 2ins tall, of chubby build, with light coloured hair and a boil or eye deformity on her face. She wore a deer stalker hat and a distinctive white, red and grey stripped poncho top with a brown handbag and black boots.
CCTV footage available here
Anyone who witnessed the incident, was in the area at the time or has information that could assist officers is asked to call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.