New mom held at gunpoint, robbed outside Deltona Publix

'I just got held at gunpoint and got my purse stolen from me,' victim tells 911

DELTONA, Fla. – A Deltona mother who gave birth just two weeks ago said she was held at gunpoint outside a Deltona Publix at 605 Courtland Blvd. on Tuesday afternoon.

Marissa Barbuti said a family member was babysitting her two children so she could have some alone time to get some grocery shopping done.

"I was just like, I froze for a second," she said. "Like, I just froze and watched as he took away with my purse."

Barbuti said she had just put her last shopping bag into her vehicle when a man driving a dark blue Dodge sedan pulled his car within inches of her shopping cart. She said the man told her not to speak.

"I turned around and it was a guy holding a gun to me, and he said, 'Don't say anything. Don't say anything.' And he just reached out of his car and just picked up my purse and took off with it," Barbuti said.

Barbuti said it was raining at the time, so there weren't many people walking in the parking lot. She said a couple witnesses yelled over to her and asked what happened after seeing a horrified look on her face.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said the suspect got away with the victim's wallet, Social Security card and driver's license. He had gotten away with the victim's phone, but it was recovered on the side of the road nearby after using the Find My iPhone app.

Investigators have not said if the assailant's vehicle was captured on surveillance camera in the area. 

"I met up with the investigator and we searched through some bushes and he found my phone and he's taking it off to get fingerprints," Barbuti said.

With a 2-week-old daughter and a 2-year-old son, Barbuti said she's thankful that what was taken can be replaced. 

"I was thankful my kids weren't with me because, you know, not only am I an innocent life, but they are definitely innocent lives," Barbuti said.

The victim told News 6 she believes the car was a newer, dark blue Dodge Dart.

The man is described as Hispanic, between 25 and 30 years old, wearing a red shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Volusia County Sheriff's Office at 386-248-1777 or Crime Stoppers at 888-277-8477.


About the Authors:

Troy graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. He has reported on Mexican drug cartel violence on the El Paso/ Juarez border, nuclear testing facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory and severe Winter weather in Michigan.

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