A disabled toddler has been reunited with his wheelchair stroller after it was stolen from the driveway of his home in Queens.
“I am glad, and I am grateful to God that I found it. I’ve been holding back my tears. These are tears of sadness and also joy,” said Marta Escobar, who has been on an emotional rollercoaster since her 4-year-old son’s stroller was taken on New Year’s Day. “My daughter told me today that she’s scared I’m gonna die, and she’s gonna lose me, because she’s been watching the stress of everything going on.”
What You Need To Know
- A disabled toddler has been reunited with his wheelchair stroller after it was stolen from the driveway of his home in Queens
- Several people were caught on security camera stealing the wheelchair stroller, along with three other strollers, on New Year’s Day
- Daniela Sosa, 25, told police she thought the stroller was garbage when she took it from the driveway of a home in South Ozone Park
- Escobar, the victim, has taken out an order of protection against Sosa, who is charged with grand larceny
AJ’s wheelchair stroller, along with his medication, diapers and three additional strollers were stolen from their driveway in South Ozone Park. One week later, Escobar saw a woman on her street wheeling the double stroller that had been taken.
“I asked her, ‘Where did you get the stroller from? Four strollers got stolen from my house and one of them looks just like that,’” Escobar said.
She said the woman initially told her another family gave her the stroller for her two daughters.
But after showing the woman photos of the missing stroller, Escobar said she confessed. “I’m sorry, Miss. I took your stroller, the double stroller, and nothing else. I took it because I needed it,” the woman said.
The woman was identified by police as 25-year-old Daniela Sosa. Escobar said Sosa told her that she’s originally from Venezuela and arrived here in the city on New Year’s Eve.
“I understand that you’re struggling, that you just came here and you’re in a new place, but you don’t need to be taking anybody’s things,” Escobar said.
When police arrived, they took Sosa into custody and charged her. AJ has since been reunited with his wheelchair stroller, but Escobar said she doesn’t feel safe.
“The city is failing us by putting all these people into private neighborhoods without knowing how it’s gonna affect us and our families,” Escobar said.
Escobar said she’s grateful for the outpouring of love and support she received since NY1’s story first aired.
“It touched my heart and made me feel like I made an impact in everything I’ve done in my life, that people were actually coming back and pouring their hearts towards me now,” Escobar said.
Sosa, also a mother, has been charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. Meanwhile, Escobar has taken out an order of protection against her.