A Brooklyn woman was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday for a random attack inside a Brooklyn subway station in which she threw sulfuric acid in a stranger’s face, causing serious second- and third-degree burns to the victim as well as significant scarring.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez identified the defendant as Rodlin Gravesande, 34, formerly of Brownsville, Brooklyn, according to a news release.
“Today’s sentence holds this defendant accountable for a frightening and random attack on an innocent woman," Gonzalez said. "Brooklyn residents deserve to feel safe when taking the subway and those who jeopardize their safety will be held accountable. My heart goes out to the young victim of this attack as she continues to heal from her injuries.”
On December 2, 2022, at approximately 12:45am, the victim, a 21-year-old woman, was riding a southbound 2 train to work at Kings County Hospital when the defendant began to yell and threatened to push passengers on the train. The defendant did this for several minutes before turning her attention to the victim, the news release said.
When the train arrived at the Winthrop Street Station, in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, the victim exited the train. The defendant followed the victim off the train and onto the platform. The two exchanged words. The victim continued to walk away. The defendant then punched the victim in the head. When the victim walked toward the stairs, the defendant followed her. The defendant then opened a vial of sulfuric acid and threw it in the victim’s face, before fleeing the station, according to the news release.
The acid burned a hole through the victim’s clothing and caused second- and third-degree burns to the left side of her face.
The victim ran out of the subway station and around the corner to Kings County Hospital. She was transferred to the burn unit at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx. Since the attack, the victim has received a nose and lip reconstruction as well as multiple skin grafts.
Gravesande fled to Atlanta, Georgia. She was extradited back to Brooklyn in January 2023.
