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Woman who intentionally coughed in baby's face wanted for assault, California police say

San Jose police said the suspect appeared to be upset that the mother was not "maintaining proper social distancing" and coughed on the 1-year-old.
"The preliminary investigation revealed the suspect was upset the female was not maintaining proper social distancing, so the suspect removed her face mask, got close to the baby's face, and coughed 2-3 times," according to the San Jose police department.
"The preliminary investigation revealed the suspect was upset the female was not maintaining proper social distancing, so the suspect removed her face mask, got close to the baby's face, and coughed 2-3 times," according to the San Jose police department.San Jose Police Department

Police are searching for a San Jose woman who appeared to cough on a 1-year-old child at a store after she accused the child's mother of standing too close to her.

The incident happened on June 12 just before 5:30 p.m. at a Yogurtland while the unidentified woman, believed to be in her 60s, was standing in line in front of the mother and child, who was in a stroller.

The San Jose Police Department said in a press release that the suspect "was upset the female was not maintaining proper social distancing, so the suspect removed her face mask, got close to the baby’s face, and coughed 2-3 times." She then left the store.

The incident was caught on video and released by the police department. It shows the mother standing in line with the stroller between her and the suspect.

The mother, Mireya Mora, told NBC Bay Area that the woman made a racist comment to her at the store. Mora is Hispanic and the suspect is apparently white.

She suspect at Yogurtland in San Jose, Calif.
She suspect at Yogurtland in San Jose, Calif., on June 12, 2020.San Jose Police Department

"She said, 'So you don’t understand, and do you even understand what I’m saying?' Like I’m not even speaking English," she said.

Mora said her son has had trouble sleeping since the incident.

"I can't believe someone has a heart to do this, and why? My child did nothing wrong," she told the outlet. "My son should not have experienced this."

The woman is wanted for assault. Police said anybody who provides information that leads to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a cash reward.