Police release footage of attack on baby in branch of Boots

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/17/police-release-footage-attack-baby-branch-boots

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A woman calmly walked into a chemist, reached into a pram and grabbed a one-year-old boy by the throat before saying “That baby would rather be dead” as his mother pushed her away.

Police have released CCTV footage from the incident after the reported daytime assault in Boots at the Strand in central London.

The baby was not injured because of the mother’s quick reaction, police said, but they have released the footage in an attempt to track down the woman, who is seen being escorted from the shop by a security guard seconds after the incident on 16 January.

The suspect is described as white, in her early 60s, chubby, with light hair and a boil on her face or eye deformity. She is thought to be about 1.58 metres (5ft 2in) tall and was dressed in a white, red and grey striped poncho and a deerstalker.

Police said the mother, who was looking at something on a shelf when the attacker approached, initially thought she was “going to just look and fuss over her baby”. But the mother is seen quickly grabbing the woman’s hand and moving the pram away from her. They said the mother was shaken after the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.