An 18-year-old woman was arrested and charged on Thursday after authorities said she attacked a four-year-old with a crowbar inside a San Jose Walmart.
According to KTVU, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said that Maria Garate was booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon with a hate crime allegation and attempted murder with a hate crime allegation.
Authorities said that Garate approached the child when she was shopping with her father and hit the little girl over the head with the crowbar. When she tried to strike the child again her father stepped in to protect her and he was hit.
The vicious attack appeared to be random as the young girl and her father did not know Garate.
Walmart security detained the attacker until police arrived.
The San Jose Mercury News reported that the incident occured a half a mile away from a homeless shelter known to the locals as "the Jungle." Police would not confirm or deny whether Garate was a resident there.
The little girl was taken to the hospital and treated for her injury. She and her father have not been identified.