EXCLUSIVE: 9-Year-Old Robbery Victim Speaks Out
By Elizabeth Hur
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - She's just 9-years-old and the victim of an attack all over a cell phone.
It's a case that left even the seasoned investigators just shaking their heads.
The victim, Neidy Rojas, told Eyewitness News, "It felt bad and sad. I was scared."
Rojas says she was sprayed with a burning substance on her lips then pushed to the ground, scraping her knees.
Police confirm the motive was robbery as the suspect appeared to be after the 3rd grader's cell phone, a black Samsung Galaxy S2.
Rojas recalled, "She asked if she could use my phone and I said it doesn't work."
It was true. Rojas says the phone is missing the "Home" button and she could only use it to play some games.
Undeterred, however, Rojas says the woman snatched the phone out of her hands.
"And then she pushed me and I was yelling for help and then my mom came," Rojas said.
It happened in broad daylight shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday at the corner of 53rd and Warrington Streets in Southwest Philadelphia. Rojas had just gotten off her school bus. Neidy's mother, Janet Rojas, arrived just in time to hear her daughter's screams for help. Janet says she ran after the suspect, but the woman got away.
Police say they know cell phones these days unfortunately get stolen regularly, but for someone to target a 9-year-old is a new low.
Lt. John Walker said, "It's just unacceptable. It's behavior that really shouldn't be tolerated by anybody in this community. She's traumatized by this, I mean who at 9-years-old wants to fall victim of a crime like this on the city streets?"
Rojas added, "She was wearing light brown boots, black jacket and she had a scarf on her head and the color was green."
Police say the suspect is described as a black female in her 20s with a slender build who's about 5'5"-5'8" tall.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police.
