Woman slashed in face on subway at Grand Central Terminal speaks out

MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- The woman who was slashed in the face while carrying her baby on the subway at Grand Central Terminal is now speaking out about the horrific attack.

It happened as she rode with her 18-month-old son on a southbound number 5 train Sunday. The woman is now back home, and telling her story to Eyewitness News.

30-year-old Anna Martinez is still confused. She can't figure out why the suspect zeroed in on her and attacked her.

"There was other people on the train, why me?", she said.

She is recovering at home, bruised and swollen. She cannot move the left side of her face because of all the nerve damage.

It took surgery and about 30 stitches to close the gash that stretches past the hairline.

Anne says the suspect, 53-year-old Jacqueline Sanjurjo, did not say a word.

The pair was sitting across from each other on the train, with her son in her stroller.

As they pulled into Grand Central the suspect got up, was standing behind her, and as the doors opened, she cut her. But it wasn't over.

"She cut me, then she had a hold of my hair," she said. "My hair was straight at the time. She had a hold of my hair, I am holding my hand, that's why I got cut here, and she's holding my hair down on the floor. I am screaming, 'Get off of me'. The guy cracked her and got her off me. That's when I got out of the train and then she got out of the train and was just standing there."

The suspect stood there for a few minutes before walking away. Police found Sanjurjo and arrested her. She has been arrested more than 60 times.

The man Anna mentioned is a Good Samaritan who pulled the suspect off her, and stayed with her and her little boy until police and the ambulance arrived.

"I just want to say thank you so much, cause he doesn't know me but he was there," she said about the Good Samaritan, Juan Peters, who put his life on the line to save her and her son.

He spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News.

"You tell Anna that there is angel out there, people worry...be an angel, don't look for angels, I'm glad I was able to be there because it could have been crazy," said Peters.

Juan was with his wife, heard Anna's screams and didn't hesitate, pulling the suspect off her.

"If I had not gotten involved Anna would have been killed and Lord forbid her baby would have been dead, would have been hurt too," he said.

The entire time, Juan stayed with Anna and held her little boy.

"He cried, there were a lot of people screaming so he just cried and I was sad and upset because I couldn't hold him, there was too much blood," said Anna.

Juan was happy to hear Anna is now at home recovering and tells me he'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

"I think if everyone would take the step to help someone without second guessing, it would be a better place," he said.