ICYMI: Upper East Side 'Spitting Lady' Arrested, Police Say

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — The reign of terror of the Upper East Side's "spitting lady" may be coming to an end. The woman and her son, who often acted as her bodyguard, were arrested Thursday morning, an NYPD spokesman told Patch.

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The woman and her son were taken into custody around 7 a.m on East 78th street between First and Second avenues for spitting on a 7-year-old, police told Patch. Police identified the woman as Hilda Delvalle Barrion Neuvo and said that she will face charges for stalking and endangering the welfare of a child.

The woman's son, identified as 44-year-old Gabriel Uno, was also arrested and charged with menacing, reckless endangerment and weapon's possession for a March 18 incident where he threw a table at someone, an NYPD spokesman told Patch.

Nuevo, known to neighborhood residents as the "spitting lady," has tormented the Upper East Side with her saliva for years, according to the petition urging politicians to do something about the woman. According to the petition, Nuevo would wander from East 74th to East 82nd streets between First and Lexington avenues to spit at and harass people and children.

As of this writing the petition has been signed by more than 1,500 people.

"This woman is not only a nuisance, but she is a threat as she is assaulting people vilely with saliva. She mainly spits on children, while also hissing and yelling at them," reads the petition.

Before the NYPD stepped in and arrested the woman on Thursday, Upper East Siders had been told there was nothing officials could do to remove her, according to the petition. As a result, neighborhood residents created a "forum for spottings," on Facebook to alert people of the spitting lady's location.

Photo by Patch