The man accused of choking a stranger’s baby girl in a suburban Kansas City Walmart’s checkout line was identified Thursday as a former pastor from New Jersey.
Oleh Zhownirovych, 54, was arrested Wednesday morning after police in Overland Park, Kan., said he picked up the napping baby from her mother’s cart and put his hands around the infant’s neck. Bystanders and security staff took the child back and held him down until police arrived, police said.
Zhownirovych faces charges of aggravated battery causing intentional harm, according to Johnson County inmate records. He remained incarcerated Thursday on a $100,000 bond.
He listed the address of the Ukrainian Orthodox Holy Ascension Cathedral in Clifton, N.J., as his home address during booking, KMBC-TV reported. The church’s website listed Zhownirovych as a right reverend as recently as 10 months ago at the Passaic County cathedral.
There was no immediate answer at the church Thursday night to requests for comment.
Prosecutors in Kansas charged him on Wednesday after police took him to a hospital for a mental health and drug and alcohol screening.
Quisha Hill told WDAF-TV her 4-month-old baby was unharmed following the bizarre 7:30 a.m. attack at the Walmart near 75th St. and Frontage Rd. Zhownirovych sneaked up behind her while she was paying for her groceries, Hill said.
“This random man comes out of nowhere and yanks the car seat out of the cart,” she said. “He’s like, ‘I’m taking the baby! I’m stealing her! I’m taking her! Call 911! Call 911!'”
