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Woman Falls Down Subway Stairs During Failed Robbery Attempt, Needs Brain Surgery
“The most important thing I have to tell you is, if you have a mother, take care of her,” the woman's son, Kyaw Zaw Hein, 22, said following the suspected attack.
A Brooklyn mother remains in critical condition after she fell down a flight of concrete stairs during a botched subway robbery over the weekend, police said.
The 58-year-old woman, who wasn’t named by law enforcement, reportedly required brain surgery on Saturday as a result of her injuries.
The victim's 22-year-old son, Kyaw Zaw Hein, said they were attacked from behind around 9:40 a.m. on July 17 near the entrance of the Canal Street and Broadway subway station, which services the N, Q, R, and W lines.
The alleged thief attempted to swipe the son’s backpack as he and his mother were climbing the stairs, according to the New York City Police Department. Kyaw Zaw Hein lost his balance in the scuffle, reportedly reached out for his mother, and the pair both tumbled down the steps. The 58-year-old woman hit her head in the incident.
A street vendor near the subway’s entrance witnessed the commotion.
“I saw the guy holding the lady’s hand and he was screaming for help,” Carlos Lopez told The New York Post. “There was a lot of blood coming out of her head...Her son was screaming for help and I went over there to see what was happening. I got the officers.”
The suspected assailant darted back into the subway station after the attack unfolded. No arrests have been made. Police released an image of the suspect over the weekend.
The woman was rushed to Bellevue Hospital with a suspected brain injury.
“The most important thing I have to tell you is, if you have a mother, take care of her,” Kyaw Zaw Hein, 22, told the Daily News.
Her son described her as an extremely spiritual person with a kind heart.
“She’s Buddhist... She goes to the temple,” Kyaw Zaw Hein told the Daily News. “Even if people are bad, she treats them well. She just goes on with her life.”
He said his mother moved to New York from Myanmar to be with family in 2018.
“She came here for me, for my education,” Hein said added. “No matter what mistakes I made, she always forgives me. “Although she will scold me too.”
The family said they’re unsure if the 58-year-old Brooklyn woman will fully recover.
“We don’t know if she’s going to make it,” another relative told the Daily News. “It looks like an 80% chance no.”
On Sunday, the family issued an updated statement regarding the mother’s condition.
“I love my mom very much & miss her so much, hopefully she can give me a hug soon,” Hein said in a statement. “Because of this monster action, my mom is in grave danger, hooked up to so many machines in ICU and the doctor said she’s not looking well & may not be able to pull through.”
Hein, meanwhile, called on investigators to make an arrest in the case.
“My family is in shock and hope the police will catch whoever responsible for the incident and get justice that my mom deserved,” Hein said. “Please, if anyone recognize the person, let the police know so there wont be anymore victims like me.”
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.
