A brave father rescued his 11-year-old daughter from a creep who allegedly snatched her and attempted to sexually assault her while the two were riding their bikes through a Queens park on Monday, police said.
The 37-year-old father and daughter were biking through Forest Park near the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard shortly before 5 p.m. when she overtook him and veered off the main path, according to law enforcement sources.
Teddy Moussignac, 44, who was hiding in the bushes near a more secluded area of the park known as Victory Field, jumped out and knocked the girl off her bike, according to the NYPD.
He allegedly covered her nose and mouth with his hand, threatened her, and began dragging her away, according to police.
“If you scream, I’ll kill you,” Moussignac allegedly said, according to sources. “I just need help with something.”
Moussignac, who lives in Brooklyn, allegedly punched the girl as she struggled to flee, dragging her deeper into the park and fondling her, according to police.
The girl’s frantic father caught up to her knocked-over bike, saw what was going on, and rushed to help. According to sources, he shouted and ran over to stop the attack.
Moussignac fled, but was apprehended shortly thereafter by two officers in the area.
According to the NYPD, he was charged with kidnapping, sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 13, criminal obstruction of breathing, forcible touching of intimate parts, endangering a child’s welfare, assault, and harassment.
According to sources, Moussignac has one prior arrest, but the nature of the charge is unknown because the record is sealed.
Police said the victim was taken to Jamaica Hospital for injuries sustained during the attack.
A local parent expressed concern about the park’s more remote areas, saying he has frequently encountered “crazy people” lurking there.
Brandon Ziegenfuss, 42, who raised his two children in a nearby apartment complex, said he was constantly on guard in that part of the park.
“There was always something crazy happening,” he told me. “It was overrun with weirdos,” he explained.
He stated that the NYPD was more concerned with the swankier part of the park adjacent to Forest Hills than with the location of the girl’s attack.
“The cops would never do anything about our side of the park because they were too busy protecting the nicer area of the park,” according to him. “But this is how the world works. “What are you planning to do?”
