In a frightening incident, a 37-year-old father, who was biking alongside her 11-year-old daughter in a New York park, saw 44-year-old Teddy Moussignac allegedly grabbing his girl. In a heroic act of parenthood, the father ran toward the man and managed to save his daughter.
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According to police sources cited by the New York Post, the incident took place at around 5 p.m. on Monday, May 19. While father and daughter were biking near the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard at Forest Park in Queens, the 11-year-old veered off the main path, leaving her father behind.
At Victory Field, which is considered a secluded area of Forest Park, Moussignac, who was reportedly lurking in some bushes, allegedly jumped the girl, knocking her off her bike. According to the NYPD, the 44-year-old covered the girl’s mouth and nose and threatened to kill her.
“If you scream, I’ll kill you,” Moussignac allegedly told the minor. “I just need help with something.”
The alleged assault continued as Moussignac punched the girl as he continued to drag him deep into the park. As per the police, the suspect allegedly began to fondle her.
Her father eventually came across her knocked-over bike and witnessed the alleged assault being carried out by Teddy Moussignac. Filled with fatherly anger and a desperate need to protect his daughter, the father jumped off his bike and ran toward Moussignac, shouting at him.
Caught, Moussignac allegedly fled the scene after seeing and hearing the father coming at him. However, two police officers managed to arrest him shortly after.
Suspect Charged
As per the NYPD, Teddy Moussignac was charged with kidnapping, sexual abuse of a victim under 13, criminal obstruction of breathing, forcible touching of intimate parts, endangering the welfare of a child, assault, and harassment.
Meanwhile, the 11-year-old girl was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens. She received treatment for injuries sustained during the alleged assault.
According to a neighbor, 42-year-old father Brandon Ziegenfuss, the park area, as of lately, has been “overrun with weirdos.” However, according to him, the police focus more on the “nicer” part of the park instead of Victory Field.
“The cops would never do anything about our side of the park,” Ziegenfuss told the Post. “They were too busy protecting the nicer area of the park. But that’s the way the world works. What are you going to do?”