Woman Starts Labor After Being Robbed

HUNTINGTON BEACH —  A pregnant woman who was knocked down and robbed by two men Thursday afternoon went into labor and was hospitalized, authorities said.

Two suspects were later arrested and the stolen goods recovered.

Myoung Cha Lee, 36, of Huntington Beach and two friends from Newport Beach had just parked Lee’s Mercedes-Benz at a condominium complex on Brookhurst Street shortly after 4:30 p.m. when two men robbed them at knifepoint, ripping away Lee’s necklace and knocking her down, Police Lt. Patrick Gildea said.

Lee, who is nine months pregnant, began labor and was taken to an Anaheim hospital, Gildea said. Her condition was not immediately known.

Her two companions--Soon Cha Park, 46, and Dong Sun Park, 42--escaped injury. The two suspects apparently noticed the three women while they were shopping in downtown Los Angeles, Gildea said.

“The victims had lots of jewelry on and attracted (the robbers’) attention,” he said. “The suspects followed the victims home and used a knife to threaten them.”

The robbers fled with assorted jewelry, a car phone and more than $500 in cash, he said.

Westminster and Seal Beach police officers arrested the suspects on the San Diego Freeway and recovered the stolen articles after a description of them and their vehicle was broadcast.

Roman Gabriel Watson, 29, and Terry Ware, 24, both of Los Angeles, were held on suspicion of robbery at Huntington Beach City Jail, Gildea said.