A man was seen grinning after being arrested for killing his ex-girlfriend by pushing her and her 8-month-old baby off a 15th-floor balcony in New York City.
Angel Carrasco reportedly pushed Nathaly Ramirez from the balcony of a Bronx apartment on Tuesday, October 6, while she was holding their infant daughter.
Ramirez, 23, died, but the baby survived with critical injuries and has been hospitalized, authorities said.
Witnesses said Ramirez begged Carrasco, 31, to stop in the moments before the push, according to the U.S. Marshals Service, which immediately began searching for Carrasco.
The agency announced in a news release that U.S. Marshals arrested Carrasco on Thursday, October 8.
“This horrific tragedy weighs heavily on every team member who worked this case,” U.S. Marshal Ricky J. Patel said in a statement. “We owed it to the brave mother who gave her life to save her child from a vicious individual. While nothing can undo this terrible loss, taking this suspect off the street ensures he will answer for his alleged heinous actions.”
Carrasco was arrested on charges of murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, attempted manslaughter and assault, per WABC-TV. He was reportedly apprehended after his detectives received a tip from a friend.
As authorities led him out of a police station on Thursday, Carrasco had a massive grin on his face while looking at cameras and a crowd that gathered to see him, according to footage shared by the TV station.
The NYPD found a recorded history of domestic violence between Carrasco and Ramirez, including one incident when he allegedly slapped her in January, per WABC-TV.
Investigators reportedly found flowers inside Ramirez’s apartment after the fatal push and believe Carrasco had given them to her while trying to reconcile.
One witness who spoke with CBS News New York recalled hearing Ramirez pleading with Carrasco before he allegedly shoved her and the baby off the balcony.
“Just heard the mom begging and pleading, ‘Please don’t do this, look at my baby’s face,’” the witness told the news outlet. “She thought that that would stop him from throwing her, and then all of a sudden, I just seen something tumbling.”
Local resident Starfire Rogers described Ramirez as a “kind-hearted person.”
NBC New York reported Carrasco was taken to a psychiatric evaluation after his arrest.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Carrasco had retained legal counsel.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
