Pregnant woman attacked in Chelsea, she suspects she was targeted

CHELSEA, New York -- A pregnant woman is recovering after a man in the building she was working in attacked her. She suspects a dispute with a coworker may have led to this horrific attack.

The assault happened on March 5th at the Elliott Houses on 26th Street in Chelsea.

"He picked me up off the ground, has his hands around my neck," said Lakeeya Walker, a pregnant woman and NYCHA worker. "He would've got more hits, but I was dodging him, not staying still, so he would have a landmark up."

22-year-old Lakeeya Walker says she was savagely punched in the face and kicked in the stomach while working at the Chelsea Houses last Thursday morning. Most frightening of all, she is nine weeks pregnant.

"He was basically saying, 'I'm going to kick that baby out of your womb,'" Walker said.

Walker had just finished shoveling and sprinkling salt when she tried to enter the building. She says a tenant let her in. But she didn't say thank you. Lakeeya claims that's when he threw hot coffee on her face followed by fists and feet.

"It's crazy I don't know this man. How does he know I'm with child?" Walker said.

While a vicious attack on a pregnant woman is horrible enough, she is convinced it was not about not saying thank you. Lakeeya fears she was set up by another NYCHA worker with whom she had an earlier conflict and this is how it was settled.

"She stood across the street the whole time and did nothing," Walker said.

NYCHA issued a statement Friday night saying, "We are providing assistance to the employee and cooperating with the authorities as they investigate this appalling crime."

"I had a blood clot by the baby's head," Walker said.

Police say the suspect lives in the building, but he has not been seen at his apartment since the beating happened.

Police won't release the suspect's name because they know who he is, but haven't been able to find him.

Police added that the suspect is also wanted for another assault that happened earlier the same day at a different location.