Cookie Monster Arrested: Why Did Osvaldo Quiroz-Lopez Assault A Toddler In NYC?

Cookie Monster was arrested in New York City over the weekend. Osvaldo Quiroz-Lopez, 33, of Jamaica, N.Y., was dressed up as the jovial snack-loving muppet as he greeted tourists in Times Square.

Cookie Monster's arrest came after a 2-year-old toddler from Stamford, Conn., reached out to meet Quiroz-Lopez as they passed through the famous junction of Broadway and 7 Av. Cookie Monster agreed to pose for a picture with the toddler, but failed to notify the mother of the alleged fine print. Following the picture, Cookie Monster solicited for a $2 tip from the mother, who refused. In response, Osvaldo Quiroz-Lopez became enraged and assaulted the toddler, pushing him to the ground, calling him a b*****d and referring to his mother as the b***h for not paying up.

NYPD officers came to the mother's aid and promptly arrested Osvaldo Quiroz-Lopez, allegedly still in-costume as Cookie Monster. There are no specific reports as to what other children in the area thought of seeing a Muppet in handcuffs.

Commuters and tourists alike often spot cartoon characters from numerous eras and genres when walking through the site of the Ball Drop. Cookie Monster's arrest is not the first run in with the law Times Square's costumed characters have had. In a similar incident, Spider-Man was once arrested for "slugging a mom over a tip" as the "New York Post" reported.

Additionally, a man dressed as Nintendo's Mario had more than a pipe wrench in his pocket. Damon Torres of New Jersey was dressed as the Toad Town plumber-turned-hero of the Mushroom Kingdom in 2012 when he allegedly groped a woman on W. 42 Street in Times Square. Mario also allegedly had marijuana hidden in his pants. An "emotionally disturbed" man often suited up as Elmo was nabbed in Central Park for allegedly spewing anti-Semitic rants to passers-by.