Brute who slugged little girl in Grand Central was free after another attack days earlier: cops

A cowardly brute is facing assault charges after police said he slugged a 9-year-old girl at Grand Central Terminal in an unprovoked attack on Saturday.

Jean Carlos Zarzuela, 30, who was free without bail despite allegedly punching an elderly woman earlier this month, was hauled out of a Manhattan precinct in handcuffs Sunday to face a court arraignment in the latest shocking attack, according to MTA police.

Zarzuela is accused of approaching the little girl, a Bronx resident, around 11:50 a.m. inside the historic terminal and punching her without warning, cops said.

The girl was left dizzy and in pain and was taken to NYU Langone-Tisch Hospital, sources said.

Zarzuela, who initially fled the scene, is already facing assault charges for allegedly punching an elderly woman in the head on April 4, according to court records.

He was arraigned on assault, reckless endangerment and harassment charges in that case — but released without bail by Manhattan Judge Laurie Peterson, records show.

He was still on the streets when he punched the girl at Grand Central and was back in custody on Sunday.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said Sunday that Zarzuela was awaiting arraignment.

Peterson made headlines in 2020 when she released an accused looter who smashed an NYPD cop in the head with a glass bong, The Post reported at the time.

Manhattan prosecutors had asked that suspect Kevin Bullock, 22, be held on $25,000 cash bail or a $75,000 bond in that case but Peterson instead cut him loose without bail.

In 2016, Peterson also released another suspect charged with a random attack on a woman in Greenwich Village.

Once free, the career criminal was busted for allegedly slashing two other women.

Kari Bazemore was later deemed unfit for trial and committed to a psychiatric institution.

State court officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.