Man charged with robbery for allegedly stealing woman’s walker, and pushing her onto METRO tracks

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A 39-year-old man is accused of pushing a 75-year-old woman onto METRO tracks in downtown Houston and robbing her.

According to the METRO Transit Police Department, the victim remained on the tracks until law enforcement arrived after they said Paul Hedden allegedly pushed her down and stole her walker and other belongings, charging documents read.

“How would you feel?” asked the victim’s niece, Mechell Boyd. “That could be his mother or one of his family members that somebody else did like that.”

Boyd told her aunt is a person with diabetes who has had several toes amputated and is living with Parkinson’s disease.

Hedden appeared in court on Friday, where a judge noted that the incident was captured on surveillance footage.

He is charged with aggravated robbery and had his bond set at $20,000. Hedden’s attorney told the judge that he is unemployed and lives in ministry housing.

The victim’s niece says her aunt is in a similar situation, as she is one of at least 3,200 homeless Houstonians.

“She has family that loves her and will help her,” Boyd said. “I feel bad. Maybe this will help some others. There’s a lot of people downtown.”