TORONTO - A woman and her baby were nearly pushed on to the subway tracks at a downtown station Friday morning, police said.

The 33-year-old woman was holding on to the stroller that held her six-month-old daughter when, “for unknown reasons,” a stranger allegedly pushed her from behind while she walked near the yellow line on the westbound platform of Bay station at 11:40 a.m., Toronto Police Const. Tony Vella said.

“The stroller and the mother, they go forward toward the track level, but the mother manages to gain control and leans backward, as a result, not falling on to the track level,” Vella said.

There was no train approaching at the time of the incident, he said.

With the help of TTC special constables, a 49-year-old woman was arrested nearby and held until police arrived, Vella said.

“This situation could have been much worse. It was very fortunate the victim gained control,” he said.

Anne Carruthers was charged with assault and two counts of mischief endangering life. She is scheduled to appear in a downtown courtroom Saturday morning.

The incident comes nearly a year after two teens, ages 14 and 15, were shoved on to the tracks at Dufferin station.

In that case, several friends were standing on the eastbound platform when a man allegedly shoved three of them from behind as a train approached Feb. 13, 2009.

Two of the boys fell to the tracks, but managed to crawl under the lip of the platform to avoid a direct hit by the train.

On Christmas Eve, two women allegedly were manhandled toward the edge of the platform at St. Andrew Station, but managed to break free and avoid falling.

Vella maintained that such incidents are rare and that the transit system is “very safe,” but warned riders to stay near the wall and be aware of their surroundings while waiting for trains.

Anyone with information about Friday’s incident is asked to contact police at 416-808-5300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477, 222tips.com, or by texting TOR and your tip to CRIMES.

tamara.cherry@sunmedia.ca