Elmhurst woman along with 2 children charged with beating, robbing driver

Marie Velez, 40 allegedly stepped in front of a car that was
traveling eastbound on Grand Avenue near the I-290 overpass, according
to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. The 63-year-old driver
stopped his car and Velez and four children who were with her opened his
car door and began punching the driver in the head.

Velez and the
children, who were between ages 12 and 15, then stole his wallet and
fled the scene. They were arrested a short time later at a local Extended
Stay America hotel, officials said.

Velez has been charged with robbery of a victim over 60 years old, aggravated battery in a public place and several misdemeanors, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Two  minors who were with her were each charged with one count of robbery, two counts of
aggravated battery in a public place and one misdemeanor count of theft.

It is unclear if all four children participated in the beating, or just the two who have been charged, and what exactly the two charged ages were.

"The allegations that a grown woman enlisted the help of two
juveniles and together they robbed and beat an innocent man are
outrageous," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said. "The
type of brazen, unprovoked attack alleged against these defendants will
not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be met with the full force of
the law."

A DuPage County judge granted the states' motion to deny a pre-trial release for Velez, as such she is being held on a no-bail bond awaiting an initial arraignment hearing.