Woman attacked and seriously wounded while walking her newborn baby in Brentwood, police say

A woman was walking through a Brentwood neighborhood, pushing her 1-month-old daughter in a stroller when a man allegedly approached her and grabbed her body, making sexually suggestive gestures before hitting her in the face, according to police.

Abraham Shily, a 26-year-old Los Angeles man, was arrested Thursday as the suspect in the assault reported earlier this week, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a news release. He came up to Carmina Lu as she walked with her newborn baby near Gretna Green Way and Mayfield Avenue around 4:40 p.m., police said, allegedly attacking her and leaving her seriously wounded.

"The suspect approached the victim from behind, grabbed her waist with both hands, and simulated sexual activity, so that his hips made physical contact with the victim," the LAPD news release states.

Lu said she tried fighting back as soon as the shirtless man touched her.

"I immediately told him to get off, get away," Lu said. "I started defending myself, and then at a certain point, he turned and started hitting me in the face."

According to police, Shily struck Lu in the face multiple times after she hit him in the face in self-defense. Her sunglasses broke, leaving cuts to her face, and she fell to the ground, she said. Police said she suffered serious injuries in the assault.

When she fell, the attacker took off. He ran towards Montana Avenue, police said. 

But after he got away, Lu said people in the West LA community all tried to help find him, local residents sharing surveillance video from their homes that was widely circulated. 

"The whole neighborhood has come together," Lu said. "They've shared a lot of video footage. And the fact that this was on the news resulted in somebody identifying the suspect." 

Detectives later identified Shily as the suspect and took him into custody, booking him on suspicion of felony battery.

According to Lu, someone who lives nearby identified Shily to police.

"If it didn't happen to me, it could've happened very easily to someone else," Lu said.

"I think this has been a real lesson for me as well -- that speaking out can do some good and make a difference," she said. "So that's really heartening for me."

Anyone with information is urged to call West Los Angeles Robbery Detective Yagubyan at 213-399-0135. Calls during non-business hours or on weekends can be directed to 877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). 

Those wishing to remain anonymous can reach LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or visit lacrimestoppers.org.