NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Queens man is accused of hitting a 9-year-old girl in the face earlier this month, and then repeatedly biting an off-duty NYPD sergeant as he intervened, “causing permanent disfigurement to the sergeant’s finger,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
Feliz Enrique, 31, was arraigned on Wednesday on an indictment charging him with assault in the first, second and third degrees, endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, prosecutors said.
The attack happened during the afternoon on May 10 as the child stood near the intersection of 67th Place and Central Avenue in Glendale. Prosecutors said that Enrique approached the girl and started a conversation by asking for her name, but when she responded he hit her in the face hard, causing her to fall to the ground.
Off-duty Sergeant Sebastian Hajder and two good Samaritans who were nearby immediately intervened. During the struggle Enrique allegedly bit the sergeant on knee, hand and finger, taking the top part of his right index finger off.
Enrique was subdued and both the child and Hajder were taken to local hospitals for treatment.
The girl suffered bruising to her arm and back, bleeding to her lip and arm and loose teeth and pain, while Hajder sustained bites to his hand and leg and abrasions to his arm and leg. The doctors were unable to reattach his fingertip.
Enrique reportedly told officials that “This isn’t the first time it's happened, I beat up her father. Yeah I punched her.” He also described eating the sergeant’s finger, according to ABC7.
The report claims Enrique was on parole after spending 7 years in prison for attempted murder, and that he is being evaluated to determine if he is mentally fit for trial.
Enrique is scheduled to return to court on July 10, and if convicted faces up to 25 years in prison.