By Kolby LaMarche

A Burlington woman is facing charges of assault, robbery, and felony unlawful mischief after an incident last week at the downtown bus terminal that has local officials and residents raising fresh concerns about public safety. 

Refga A. Laku, 30, of Burlington, was arrested on April 30, at approximately 4:35 p.m. at the Green Mountain Transit facility on Cherry Street. 

According to Burlington Police, surveillance video captured Laku taking a cellphone from a stranger, smashing it on the ground, and then assaulting the victim when they attempted to retrieve it. The phone was reportedly smashed a second time during the struggle. 

Officers arrested Laku at the scene.

The victim, identified in reports as a young student from Middlebury, received assistance afterward from a Community Support Liaison who provided transportation back to their residence. Bystanders and a Green Mountain Transit employee intervened to help during the confrontation.

Laku was arraigned the following day in the Chittenden Criminal Division. 

Prosecutors from State’s Attorney Sarah George’s office requested she be held without bail pending an evaluation by the Vermont Department of Mental Health, citing competency concerns in court filings. 

She remains in custody as that process moves forward.

Court records show this was not Laku’s first recent interaction with law enforcement, or Sarah George.  

On April 29, she faced a simple assault charge after allegedly striking a 7-year-old child multiple times near a playground in the Franklin Square neighborhood, leaving the child with visible injuries. 

In March, Laku was charged with unlawful trespass after entering another person’s vehicle outside the Franklin Square Early Learning Center and refusing to leave. 

Police also responded to her apartment that month over concerns for an infant’s welfare, describing the residence as cluttered and unsafe, which led to additional charges of child endangerment and cruelty to a child. 

Multiple police affidavits reference ongoing mental health issues and prior crisis responses involving Laku.

According to court records, Laku may have faced eviction proceedings in February of this year, requested by the Burlington Housing Authority. It is unclear where those proceedings ended up.  

The downtown bus terminal serves as a central hub for Green Mountain Transit, students, workers, and residents across Chittenden County. For Burlington School District students, it is the only choice of transportation to school, aside from a ride from a parent.

Democratic City Councilor Evan Litwin of Ward 7 responded to incidents yesterday, saying “We need to be asking hard questions because this poor young Middlebury student never should have been a victim in the first place,” Litwin said. “She is a victim of our county’s top prosecutor as well.” 

Sarah George’s office has faced public scrutiny in recent years over charging practices and approaches to cases involving mental health and repeat criminal offenders. 

In this instance, critics, including Litwin, argue that the broader system has left community members unnecessarily exposed, with many believing Laku should have been held in custody after her incidents in March. 

Litwin indicated he plans to seek more information at the City Council level regarding prevention strategies, prosecution coordination, and safety for the transit hub. .

Cases against Laku remain pending in Chittenden Criminal Division. Additional hearings are expected as mental health evaluations and legal proceedings continue. Burlington police have not released further statements beyond the initial incident report.