The boy received the gold chain for his baptism and wore it every day since then until it was violently taken on Aug. 20.
The incident happened at a laundromat on Atlantic Avenue in Lynwood. The boy's mother was inside doing the laundry. The boy stepped outside with his sister. That's when the man approached him, pulled off the chain and ran off. The boy's face was all scratched up because the suspect pulled so hard.
"I've never had a crime like this. I've never even heard of a crime like this with a 4-year-old," said Det. Sal Rios of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
The suspect was described as a black man, between 25 to 30 years old with black hair, brown eyes and a thin mustache. He was about 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 160 to 180 pounds. The boy's mother hopes this can be a lesson to other parents.
"Sometimes you're really busy doing stuff, but still, just keep an eye on them because things happen all of a sudden," said the mother.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the Century Station Detective Bureau at (323) 568-4800.
