A man allegedly punched a woman in the face several times after wrestling her baby out of its stroller on Timaru's main street early on Saturday afternoon.
The woman was heard yelling "don't take my baby" as the man tried to snatch the baby on Stafford St at about 1pm, Fairfax reported.
The man allegedly punched the woman and an onlooker in the face during the ordeal. He gave the woman the baby back as a crowd of people came to her aid, Fairfax reported.
Sergeant Grant Lord told the New Zealand Herald a 31-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the alleged assault.
He will appear in court facing two assault charges.
