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March 14, 2022 By Christian Murray
A 3-year-old girl required stitches to her forehead after a deranged man flipped over the little wagon she was in sitting in throwing her to the ground in Flushing Friday, according to police.
Christopher Elder, a 31-year-old Flushing resident with a violent past, allegedly approached the girl’s grandmother, Maria Zamora, at around 6:20 a.m. on 45th Avenue and Robinson Street and started yelling at her as she was throwing out trash.
Elder then turned his attention away from Zamora and targeted her 3 year-old grandchild Sophia. He allegedly grabbed the wagon Sophia was riding in and then kicked it, causing it to topple over. Elder then fled the scene.
Sophia suffered a laceration to her head, according to police, and was taken by EMS to Flushing Hospital Medical Center. The family released photos of the girl to CBS News.
The family of little Sofia (nearly 3yo) gave us these pics from the hospital. Cops say she was randomly attacked while w/ her grandma in #Flushing by a suspect, 31yo Chris Elder, who has a history of attacking strangers. He was arrested again in this case. @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/iOyMX181Cj
— Andrea Grymes (@AndreaGrymesTV) March 12, 2022
The police searched the area and quickly found Elder at 45th Avenue and Kissena Boulevard. They charged him with felony assault, reckless endangerment, acting in a manner injurious to a child, and harassment. He was taken to Elmhurst Hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Elder has at least eight prior arrests, many of them assaults.
He allegedly struck a 30-year-old man in the head with a glass bottle on Feb. 25 at a U-Haul location along the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, according to police.
In addition, he allegedly shoved a 26-year-old woman and her 9-year-old daughter to the ground in Flushing in December and punched them in the face.
Council Member Sandra Ung, who represents the Flushing area, issued a statement Friday saying the assault on Sophia was troubling.
“I was disturbed to hear of the incident this morning at 45th Avenue and Robinson Street, where a … girl was hurt when an emotionally disturbed man flipped the cart she was riding in.”
She thanked the local 109th precinct for making the arrest.
“I am glad the 109th Precinct made a quick arrest, but with eight prior arrests and a history of mental illness, it’s vital this individual is taken off the streets.”
