The Hasidic family of a 14-year-old girl assaulted on Aug. 3 is not helping detectives hunting her attacker, according to a police source familiar with the investigation.
“The detectives have hit a stone wall right now,” the source said. “Beyond a basic interview, they are not getting any cooperation.”
Shiduch Fears Hinder Search for Sicko Predator
Detectives fear a serial predator is stalking Borough Park, and are frustrated by the lack of cooperation they’re getting from one victim’s family, The Post has learned.
The Hasidic family of a 14-year-old girl assaulted on Aug. 3 is not helping detectives hunting her attacker, according to a police source familiar with the investigation.
“The detectives have hit a stone wall right now,” the source said. “Beyond a basic interview, they are not getting any cooperation.”
The family appears concerned about the girl’s identity getting out, which would greatly limit her chances of eventually getting married within the tight-knit religious culture, community leaders and neighbors said last week.
Based on DNA evidence, police have connected the attack to the predator who snatched a 4-year-old Hasidic girl on July 16, 2007.
Detectives suspect that the fiend is a serial attacker, and that other victims may not have come forward, according to the police source.
“Serial rapists by definition don’t stop at one or two,” the insider said.
Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who represents the area, acknowledged the sociological hurdles the police are facing.
“Unfortunately, the shame and all these other concerns come in the picture,” he told The Post. “But this is something that we have to overcome in our communities.
”Sometimes these concerns, real or perceived, overpower the need to protect the community from evil criminal individuals. For someone not to cooperate verges on a violation of law.“
The police were careful not to identify the 4-year-old victim last summer, but many in the close Hasidic community quickly found out.
”Everybody knew everything about everything,“ one neighbor said last week. ”There were text messages sent out with the exact location.”
After both assaults, the NYPD quickly parked a mobile command unit in the area and added foot patrols.
Over the past several weeks, the department has also positioned sporadic roadblocks near where the girls were snatched and found.
anonymous
this is just terrible. the whole thing. awful.
hello
gosh, im so scared
oish
thats is insaaaaane
CN
Compare with the story of Dina, who wouldn’t come out of Schem’s home until Shimon promised to marry her.
???
I’m not sure I get this. Are they implying that when this girl eventualy hits the shidduch scene, that she would withold such information from her potential zivug?
J.J.
Although the family has every right not to cooperate with the police, I believe they are making a big mistake.
Unfortunately many people in our communities do not observe a major commandment in the torah.That is the prohibition against loshon horah and gossip.I understand that the girl and her family are ashamed about what happened even though she is a victim and did nothing wrong.
The probability is high that if her name is accidentally revealed that a stigma will be attached to her and have an negative impact on her future shidduch opportunities.
We are all guilty (myself included) of creating this atmosphere through our callous and insensitive tendencies to talk gossip.
With all that said, I am still trying to look at the big picture.There is a dangerous serial pervert running loose in our neighborhoods.According to statistics this type of attacker will keep doing it again.
It is important that he is caught before he can hurt anyone else.
I hope that G-d almighty sends a complete and expeditious recovery to the victim and her family for all the physical and emotional pain that they have gone through, although it is obvious that years of therapy may be needed to help her overcome her scars.
I also hope that the victim and her family have the courage to come forward and help the police catch this predator.I hope the police keep their promise of maintaining her anonymity.
I also hope that everyone in the community will meditate for 5 minutes every day about the negative effects of loshon horah and hopefully think twice before gossiping about their neighbor.
May Hashem protect us all, and send moshiach immediately.
J.J.
CSC
Unfortunately by withholding this behavior the family is not only enabling but encouraging the creep to continue such behavior.
I heard in Israel rapists target Orthodox girls because they’ll be too afraid to tell anyone. Looks like the idea caught on here too.
steve
If there is a 100% Guarantee that the Police will not leak out her name to the public, then the family should say the name. What’s the big deal? If they ever leaked it out, family can sue and get big gelt man!!
me
the girl has enough on her mind
going back to school, etc..
and doesnt need her classmates to
look at her in a wierd way … oh
what happened to her she doesnt want
that kind of pity she wishes her
life can go back to the way it was
before anything ever happened
but it wont but for
sake and not to shame her in any way
everyone bud out
dont ask sooo many questions
i promise it wont make a difference
if you know the name or not
lets do otherstuff to help out
but out more ppl to protect our
children on the streets
so it shouldnt happen again, lets not
get cought up with who but rather
how not anyone else
a girl who gets her
even though it seems crazy that she wont cooperate, i dont blame her AT ALL. the shidduch system is retarded, and it will definitely affect her shidduch if she comes out and works with the police. Mothers of sons would say she’s damaged goods…not for my wonderful son… ppl are mean, word will spread, and she will definitely have a hard time…
she is doing the smartest thing for herself.
hope they find the sicko already and put an end to him!
DONT FEEL LIKE GIVING MY NAME
HAVING BEEN THROUGH A SITUATION THAT A “CHASSIDISHER MAN TOOK ADVANTIGE OF ME Phisically I NEVER TOLD ANYONE UNTILL MY LATE TEENS BY THEN MOST OF MY YOUNG LIFE WAS RUINED HAVING SAID THAT I DONT THINK IN THE ”FRUM” VELT WE ARE OPEN TO PEOPLE HEALING ENOUGH
ITS EASIER TO PUT LABELS AND SEND THEM SOME WHERE ELSE
To Steve!
Trust me when I say that there is no such thing as a guarantee from authorities that something won’t leak out.
My husband once gave a tip to the FBI after 9/11, something that had real basis to it, and the FBI agent actually told the suspect (after he pressed the agent) the name of the person who gave the tip (my husband). This created a dangerous situation for my huaband after he thought he was being a law abiding citizen.
So, whilst I don’t agree with the family withholding info, I can see why they are doing it. Forget Shidduchim, can you imagine the shame that this poor teenager is feeling, she certainly doesn’t want it fueled by people knowing about it.
sadly...
its so sad that we are so concerned with keeping our “dirty laundry” at home because well that is the most important thing right? these people are being hurt and more will be hurt if he is not caught but no lets just keep it all to ourselves so that some shallow guy will agree to marry her in a few years not knowing that anything is wrong. we live in a beautiful world and we spit on any opportunity we get to actually be happy.
Don-t be silent!
Some Rabonim have labeled these kind of people a rodef.
If this girl does not cooperate she is running the risk of putting another person’s life on the line. Which is one of the worst aviros.
People scared of shiduchim should not forget there is an Aibishter who makes shiduchim.
In zechus of turning this predator in Hashem will make her shiduch even easier than she could ever imagine.
Not Ashamed
Having been a victim of sexual abuse for many years in crown heights I am well aware of this young girls situation. She must take the neccessary precautions to protect herself (emotionally and physically) first and only then will she be comfortable addressing the issue. However, she should in no way hide this matter out of fear of not getting a good shidduch. Why get married to someone who doesn’t know all you’ve been through. A good husband is someone who sees you for who you are-not for what’s been done to you.
SUCH A MATTER SHOULD CARRY NO SHAME OR PITY TOWARDS THE VICTIM. THIS IS A MATTER OF STRENGTH AND THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES G-D HAS GIVEN YOU.