PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The owner of a Dairy Queen in Richboro, Bucks County, is accused of assaulting a 15-year-old employee and trying to cover it up.
On March 20, authorities said Parthkumar "Pete" Patel called the teen into his office and assaulted her.
"She was brought in the back by the owner and led to believe that she was being disciplined, but also that she was up for a promotion, and that was the tactic he used to victimize her," Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn told NBC10.
According to court documents, two managers saw the girl leave the office looking upset. They went into the office, but Patel was gone and the security footage had been deleted.
"They made a big difference in the evidence that we were able to obtain," Schorn said, "but then I also praise her parents for making a prompt report to the police department, which enabled them to ultimately recover evidence that was deleted by the owner."
Police were able to recover that footage, which they said shows the assault.
Patel is charged with indecent assault, corruption of minors, and tampering with evidence. The 30-year-old from Huntingdon Valley is out on bond ahead of a preliminary hearing set for next month.
The Dairy Queen franchise is currently closed. The company said its license is "under evaluation."
