Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Laurence Gendreau was convicted of attempted murder, assault and other crimes for picking up a 6-year-old boy and slamming him into the pavement head first. The random assault took place outside the Kew Gardens home of the boy’s grandparents. Just two hours earlier, Gendreau stole an iPad from an 83-year-old woman.

District Attorney Katz said: “This senseless and brutal attack left a young boy seriously injured and a community shocked. We all deserve to feel safe in our homes and while walking the streets of our neighborhoods. The criminal justice system worked and we were able to take a dangerous man off the street.”

Gendreau, 39, whose last known address was on 110^th Street in Richmond Hill, was convicted by a jury yesterday of attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, grand larceny in the fourth degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree. Justice Ira Margulis set sentencing for October 12. Gendreau faces up to 25 years in prison.

According to the charges and trial testimony:

• On October 10, 2019, at approximately 4:45 p.m., a 6-year-old boy was standing outside his grandparents’ Kew Gardens home along with his older brother waiting for a pizza delivery. Gendreau, who was walking by, suddenly charged at the child, yelling at him. He lifted the boy over his head and slammed him down onto the pavement.
• As the child was motionless on the ground, Gendreau fled. The boy’s brother ran inside and alerted his family. His grandfather chased after Gendreau and flagged down a police officer. Gendreau was stopped near Lefferts Boulevard and Metropolitan Avenue.
• The boy was transported to the hospital where he was treated for a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and a collapsed lung. He has since recovered.
• Earlier that same day, at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Union Turnpike in Kew Gardens, Gendreau approached an 83-year-old woman as she stood outside, sat next to her and then grabbed an iPad from her hands. The stolen iPad was recovered from Gendreau at the time of his arrest following the attack on the boy.

Assistant District Attorney Kanella Georgopoulos, of the District Attorney’s Office’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.