Perth mother headbutted by stranger while loading baby into car in broad daylight
A Perth mother says she is terrified to leave her home after being headbutted by a stranger in broad daylight while loading her baby's pram into her car.
Ling Chang, 35, was attacked on James Street in Northbridge shortly before 1pm on Wednesday, moments after securing her three-month-old daughter in the vehicle.
Dashcam footage captured the disturbing encounter. The video shows Ms Chang folding the pram when an unknown woman approached and began shouting at her.
Open it now. Now. Hurry the f*** up. Open the f***ing door.
Ms Chang nodded and tried to calm the aggressor, repeatedly saying "please" as the stranger attempted to grab the pram. The woman then squared up to the mother before suddenly headbutting her in the face.
"Help," Ms Chang shouted, holding her nose as bystanders rushed to intervene. Two people approached and scared off the attacker before calling police.
Mother fears for daughter's safety
Speaking after the incident, Ms Chang said she was "really scared" and did not want to leave her house.
"I think the most scary part is what happens if I didn't lock the door," she said. "What's going to happen to my baby?"
The mother said she feared what could have happened if bystanders had not stepped in.
"If they were not around, I don't know what I'm gonna do because she was obviously attacking me," she said. "I don't know what she was going to do next if she grabbed hold of my key, opened the car."
Incident highlights area's crime challenges
The attack occurred in Northbridge, one of Perth's most dangerous suburbs. The area recorded 2,072 crimes per 1,000 people in 2025, consistently ranking among the city's highest crime rates. Violent crime in Northbridge runs at a rate more than 1,800 per cent higher than the national average.
In 2025 alone, Northbridge recorded 585 reported cases of assault and related offences, with overall crime in the suburb increasing by 15 per cent from the previous year. James Street, where the attack took place, is the main throughfare through Northbridge's entertainment district.
The incident reflects broader concerns about women's safety in Australian public spaces. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, only 46 per cent of women felt fairly safe or very safe walking alone at night in their local area in 2024, down from 52 per cent in 2023.
Woman charged over assault
Western Australia Police have charged a 32-year-old woman over the incident. She appeared before Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday, facing one count of aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm.
Under Western Australian law, the charge carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment or a $36,000 fine in the Magistrates Court. If the matter is dealt with in a higher court, the maximum penalty increases to seven years imprisonment.
The accused has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear again on 10 August.
