The suspect: Homeless teen Maria Garate was arrested and charged with assault of a four-year-old girl and her father with a deadly weapon, police said . The crazed homeless teen who mercilessly beat a young girl and her father inside a California Walmart with a crowbar has admitted 'hunting' for Asians, authorities announced Thursday. Maria Garate, 18, was arraigned on hate crime charges that will send her to prison for life if convicted for bashing a four-year-old Asian girl in the head with the crowbar Tuesday before her father intervened and was also attacked. 'She targeted the family because they were Asian,’ deputy district attorney Kalila Spain said during a media briefing aired by KPIX. 'She attacked them, this is a premeditated, willful, deliberate act on her part.' More details in the horror case emerged as Garate was arraigned on charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in the commission of a hate crime. Garate admitted to detectives that she attacked the father and daughter specifically because they were Asian. Store employees holding the crazed teen down until cops arrived said she shouted 'that little Asian b***h deserved it' while writing on the floor and trying to break free. She was shackled, handcuffed and wearing a jail-issued jumpsuit during the short hearing, and appeared emotionless as the charges were read off to her. Garate did not enter a plea and was held without bail until her next court date, authorities said. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Court appearance: Garate was informed her charges carry a hate crime accusation that would result in a life sentence if she is convicted . The young girl’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, store employees told KBCW, but Garate has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Garate is said by police to have walked into the Walmart with a crowbar and approached the father and daughter browsing the purse section without warning. She then whacked the four-year-old girl and then her father as he stepped in to protect her during the frenzied attack, said cops. ‘The female entered the store and, for no apparent reason, she drew a crowbar that she had carried from her person and struck the child at least twice in the head causing pretty serious injuries,’ A San Jose Police spokesperson told the station. Where it happened: The attacks is said to have occurred in the purse section of this San Jose Walmart . Police have not established a motive for the attack or said if Garate knows her victims. They were taken to a nearby hospital and released after being treated for their injuries. The teen lives in a nearby transient community known as ‘the Jungle,’ sources told the San Jose Mercury News. She is no stranger to authorities, but cops would not say why they came into contact with her in the past. Police also did not say if drugs were a factor. MailOnline was unable to reach a police department spokesperson for further information. Garate is being held in Santa Clara County Jail.
Maria Garate walked inside the store with a crowbar and attacked the father and daughter without warning, police said .
She has since reportedly admitted to investigators that she was 'hunting for Asians'
The teen blamed her victims for the attack while store employees held her down until police arrived, sources said .
The suspect: Homeless teen Maria Garate was arrested and charged with assault of a four-year-old girl and her father with a deadly weapon, police said . The crazed homeless teen who mercilessly beat a young girl and her father inside a California Walmart with a crowbar has admitted 'hunting' for Asians, authorities announced Thursday. Maria Garate, 18, was arraigned on hate crime charges that will send her to prison for life if convicted for bashing a four-year-old Asian girl in the head with the crowbar Tuesday before her father intervened and was also attacked. 'She targeted the family because they were Asian,’ deputy district attorney Kalila Spain said during a media briefing aired by KPIX. 'She attacked them, this is a premeditated, willful, deliberate act on her part.' More details in the horror case emerged as Garate was arraigned on charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in the commission of a hate crime. Garate admitted to detectives that she attacked the father and daughter specifically because they were Asian. Store employees holding the crazed teen down until cops arrived said she shouted 'that little Asian b***h deserved it' while writing on the floor and trying to break free. She was shackled, handcuffed and wearing a jail-issued jumpsuit during the short hearing, and appeared emotionless as the charges were read off to her. Garate did not enter a plea and was held without bail until her next court date, authorities said. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Court appearance: Garate was informed her charges carry a hate crime accusation that would result in a life sentence if she is convicted . The young girl’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, store employees told KBCW, but Garate has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Garate is said by police to have walked into the Walmart with a crowbar and approached the father and daughter browsing the purse section without warning. She then whacked the four-year-old girl and then her father as he stepped in to protect her during the frenzied attack, said cops. ‘The female entered the store and, for no apparent reason, she drew a crowbar that she had carried from her person and struck the child at least twice in the head causing pretty serious injuries,’ A San Jose Police spokesperson told the station. Where it happened: The attacks is said to have occurred in the purse section of this San Jose Walmart . Police have not established a motive for the attack or said if Garate knows her victims. They were taken to a nearby hospital and released after being treated for their injuries. The teen lives in a nearby transient community known as ‘the Jungle,’ sources told the San Jose Mercury News. She is no stranger to authorities, but cops would not say why they came into contact with her in the past. Police also did not say if drugs were a factor. MailOnline was unable to reach a police department spokesperson for further information. Garate is being held in Santa Clara County Jail.
The suspect: Homeless teen Maria Garate was inside a California Walmart with a crowbar has admitted 'hunting' for Asians, authorities detectives that she attacked the father and by police to have walked into the Walmart with a crowbar and approached the father and daughter browsing the purse section without warning. She attack or said if Garate knows her victims. They