Horrifying moment woman pushes three-year-old onto train tracks

Horrifying surveillance footage has captured the moment a woman pushed a three-year-old child onto train tracks in Portland, Oregon.

The terrifying incident unfolded on Wednesday evening when the small child was standing on the Gateway Transit Center MAX platform with their mother as they waited for a train, according to Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.

The video shows a woman – later identified as Brianna Lace Workman – sitting on a bench behind the mother and child as several other passengers also stood on the station platform.

Suddenly, the suspect is seen leaping to her feet and shoving the little child onto the tracks.

The three-year-old landed face-first on the metal rail and rocks before being quickly rescued from the train tracks, officials said.

Thankfully, the child escaped largely unscathed before a train pulled in, suffering a severe headache and a small red mark on the forehead.

Authorities said that Ms Workman – a 32-year-old homeless woman – carried out the attack “without provocation”.

She was arrested and charged with attempted assault in the first degree, assault in the third degree, interfering with public transportation, disorderly conduct in the second degree and recklessly endangering another person.

She was arraigned on Thursday and is being held without bail on the charges.

Court records show that she had been living in a homeless shelter at the time of the incident.