Newborn baby punched in face in supermarket because man 'thought she was a doll'
A man in England has been arrested for punching a newborn baby in the face in a supermarket in front of a stunned mother and sister.
Amy Duckers, 27, said there was no warning before a man punched her five-day-old daughter Elsie in a Tesco store in Baguley in the Greater Manchester on Monday.
Ms Duckers told Manchester Evening News that the bizarre and terrifying incident occurred on Elsie’s first trip out.
The mother said she had just seen a neighbour who was coming off her shift at the store.
But when the neighbour called out to a man to come and see the baby, Ms Duckers said the man ran over and punched the pram-bound infant in the face.
“Our neighbour then saw one of her work colleagues who was with her husband and said ‘aww come and have a look at this lovely baby’, and the next thing he ran over and punched Elsie Rose in the face leaving a very big fist mark shape across her forehead,” she said.
Elsie Rose was taken to hospital as a precaution and released after seven hours.
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Police released a statement shortly after the incident confirming a 63 year old man had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a baby at Tesco.
Ms Duckers said the man struck little Elsie with such force that the blow could be heard by stunned onlookers.
“We all heard the punch land on my little baby. We didn’t react at first as we were just so shocked. Then I just screamed,” she told the Manchester Evening News.
The puncher, she said, explained his actions by claiming he believed Elsie was a doll.
She said she was now scared to take her baby out in public.
Elsie is now reportedly recovering at home, although she is still a little lethargic.
“I just can not believe it happened and neither can anyone I tell. Strangers were even hugging me at the hospital when I told them about it,” Ms Duckers said.
News break – September 7
