Subway Stabbing Victim Blames MTA
Yesterday afternoon I wrote an entry about a 51 year old woman who was stabbed at the 169th St. station on the F train. The victim we now know as Paula Jean Baptiste of Elmont, New York is thankful for 3 straphangers who helped her & the police lead to the arrest of 32 year old Hollis resident Matthew Corchado. However she is not extending her thanks to the MTA as she feels they are partially responsible for the attack taking place.
We now have details as to what exactly transpired during the attack. Mr. Corchado approached Paula at approximately 3:30 p.m. He told her that “You dropped something.”. She was suspicious of the claim but decided to take a peak anyway. When she saw nothing there, she said “No, I dropped nothing.” After she said this, he lunged at her & first stabbed her in the head. He followed that up by stabbing her in the shoulder. According to Paula, “He tried to kill me to get my bag.” She thought she would pass out but found it in her to fight him off. She went on to say; “I got strength and fought him. I screamed very hard and he let go.”
As she stood on the front steps of her home describing the attack, she offered praise to the two women who helped her after the altercation. She also wanted to thank the man who followed the suspect down the platform. However her next set of words were for the MTA & police who she feels fail to provide a sense of security inside the station. She feels more vigilance would have prevented the attack. She also offered this quote; “If there were police, then it would prevent it because he would be scared.”
As one would expect, this was not Mr. Corchado’s first run in with the law. His arrest for this attack was his third in the last 3 months. He was arrested 2 months ago for hitting a woman in the back of the head in Jamaica. 3 weeks after that, he was arrested for violating an order of protection set up for the woman who he hit in Jamaica. He went to a Queens Public Library where the victim was carrying a 4 inch pocket knife. He is currently being charged with attempted murder, attempted robbery, assault and criminal possession of a weapon for the attack on Paula Jean Baptiste.
The first question that jumps out at me is why was this guy walking our streets freely? Seriously if the signs weren’t there to tell you that he belongs behind bars, I don’t know if they will ever arrive!
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I’m so sorry that the Baptiste Family had to go through this traumatizing event. I am the first cousin of the assailant Matthew Segundo Corchado. This act doesn’t represent the values of my family. Unfortunately there always has to be on that doesn’t make good decisions.
My heart goes out to the Baptiste family and pray that you will recover over time.