The Heartless Brutal Attack on an Elderly Woman in NYC
An 81-year-old woman, Geula Freeman, was randomly knocked out on the Upper West Side by a heartless brute who was out on bail for a previous crime of exposing himself to a mother and her two children, according to Manhattan prosecutors.
The attacker, Hansel Esparragoza, 37, had two open cases against him in Staten Island and was out on supervised release when he assaulted Freeman at West 66th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan on Sept. 13, as captured in a shocking video.
Esparragoza had multiple arrest warrants for failing to appear in court in those cases when he punched Freeman. He was finally held on $75,000 bail in Manhattan Criminal Court at his arraignment on assault charges for the attack.
With 21 prior arrests, Esparragoza was previously arrested for exposing himself to a woman and her children and later for shoplifting from a store at the Staten Island Mall.
Despite his criminal history, none of the charges brought against Esparragoza were bail-eligible due to New York State’s bail reform laws, causing outrage among officials and the community.
In court, prosecutors described the moment Esparragoza attacked Freeman, causing her serious injuries. The senseless assault was captured on video, showing the brutal attack on the defenseless victim.
Freeman suffered a fractured nose and bruising to her face and neck from the assault. She has since experienced amnesia from the attack and cannot recall the incident.
Despite claims of mental health and substance abuse issues, Esparragoza faces serious charges and a potential three-year prison sentence if convicted.
While acknowledging the need for mental health treatment, Manhattan Judge Melissa Lewis deemed the allegations against Esparragoza as “egregious” before setting bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 9.
