‘I Thought He Was Going to Kill Me': Breastfeeding Mom Robbed in Upper Manhattan Park

A woman breastfeeding with her infant was robbed by a knife-wielding man in an upper Manhattan park on Wednesday.

Elena Sobina was feeding her 6-month-old daughter in Fort Tryon Park near Riverside Drive when the suspect came up from behind and pushed her and the infant to the ground, cutting the previously sleeping child’s lip, she told NBC 4 New York Thursday. 

"I thought he was going to kill me," she said. 

Sobina said her daughter Kelly had just finished feeding and was laying on her left arm when she felt somebody standing directly behind her. 

"When I saw the guy, he was walking around the bench with a knife and approaching me," she said.

The man pushed her to the ground, injuring her baby and leaving the infant's lip scratched and bloody. 

"I started to crawl away from him with the baby. I couldn't even get up, I think I was still in shock," Sobina said.

The robber snatched her iPhone from her hand, took her bag and ran off. The mother gave chase, briefly tailing the man while pushing a stroller and screaming for help before flagging down a bystander who could call 911.

Police later used Find My iPhone to track down the suspect.

"As soon as she put in my ID and password, they jumped in the car and ran after him and caught him in less than an hour," she said. 

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Juan Garcia, faces charges of robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child and grand larceny.

Garcia's attorney declined comment to NBC 4 New York.

Sobina, who visits the park several times a week with Kelly, said she's nervous about returning to the area where she was targeted.

"I don't feel like going back to the benches. I'd rather stay down here with more people around," she said. 

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