A mother in South Ozone Park has been reunited with her child’s much-needed wheelchair stroller that was stolen from their home at the start of the new year.
Police say the item was returned after 25-year-old Daniela Sosa was arrested on Friday, Jan. 8, and charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of the item.
Marta Escobar, a mother of a 4-year-old disabled child, said she witnessed Sosa walking with the stolen stroller in hand outside of their home, in a report first seen on NY1 that included video of the Jan. 1 incident.
On Jan. 8, Escobar came in contact with Sosa—and confronted her—in an incident that was caught on tape by a CBS news reporter, which ultimately led to Sosa’s arrest.
Standing alongside Escobar during the Jan. 8 confrontation was CBS News Reporter Lisa Rozner, who helped Escobar regain her son’s wheelchair and other items that were allegedly stolen.
In a post on Instagram, Rozner says she spotted a woman walking by Escobar’s home wearing the exact same clothing as the one shown in video footage the night of the burglary. Having just finished interviewing Escobar about the incident, Rozner says she quickly called Escobar to let her know what she saw.
During the confrontation, Rozner recalls Sosa confessing to stealing the stroller from Escobar’s home after being shown video footage from the Jan. 1 theft. Sosa also claimed that she was a recent immigrant from Venezuela and took the items because she was in need, Rozner adds.
Rozner goes on to say that Sosa was accompanied by two children, who were given snacks and blankets from Escobar, while waiting for police to arrive.
A search warrant obtained by police following the arrest resulted in Escobar being reunited with her son’s wheelchair stroller.
Escobar says other stolen items were recovered– such as her twin stroller and umbrella strollers. However, her son’s prescription medicine, which was also allegedly taken, was not found.
