New York City police said they arrested and charged a homeless man Saturday after the vagrant punched a 9-year-old girl in the face — just days after he was released on bail in another case in which he allegedly assaulted a woman.

Metropolitan Transit Authority police said they took Jean Carlos Zarzuela, 30, into custody late Saturday in connection with the attack inside Grand Central Station’s main terminal.

Police said Mr. Zarzuela randomly walloped the girl shortly before noon while she was eating with her mother in the dining concourse. 

The child, who is from the Bronx, was taken to a hospital to be treated for her pain and dizziness.

MTA police nabbed the suspect near a Harlem homeless shelter close to 11 p.m. Saturday.

Court records show Mr. Zarzuela was arrested April 4 in an incident at Grand Central in which he’s accused of socking a 56-year-old woman in the face.

The suspect was originally kept behind bars on felony assault charges. But the New York Daily News reported that prosecutors reduced the charges to a misdemeanor, and then had trouble getting the victim to help with the case.

Without a deposition from the victim — which the law requires prosecutors to get within five days of bail being set — Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Laurie Peterson freed Mr. Zarzuela on April 8.

He was arrested in the attack on the young girl days later.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.