Suspect arrested for kicking toddler; also accused of assaulting 4-year-old

A 30-year-old man from 's-Hertogenbosch was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of kicking a 2-year-old boy in Rosmalen on February 12th. He is also suspected of assaulting a 4-year-old boy in 's-Hertogenbosch two days earlier, the police said in a statement on Wednesday.

The incident in Rosmalen happened around 9:00 a.m. at the Aldi supermarket on Molenhoekpassage. The toddler and his mother were waiting to cross the road when the man kicked the boy out of nowhere, sending him sprawling into the street. The perpetrator cycled away. The boy sustained minor injuries to his back.

During the investigation, the police were alerted to a similar incident in 's-Hertogenbosch on February 10th. A man punched a 4-year-old boy in a supermarket for no apparent reason. This case was not reported to the police. But by using surveillance camera footage of the incident, the police were able to track down the young victim and his mother. 

There was no camera footage of the incident in Rosmalen, but the fleeing perpetrator was caught on a security camera of a shop in the area. The footage led the police to believe that the same man was involved in both incidents.

Further investigation led them to the 30-year-old man. According to the police, he is known to aid workers in connection with mental health problems. He was arrested on Tuesday afternoon and is in custody for questioning.