A brave father rescued his 11-year-old daughter from a horrifying ordeal in a Queens park, where a man tried to snatch her and sexually assault her while they were biking together. The incident occurred in Forest Park near the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard, just before 5 p.m. The father and daughter were cycling when the girl went ahead and veered off the main path into a more secluded area known as Victory Field.
At that moment, Teddy Moussignac, 44, who was hiding in the bushes, emerged and knocked the girl off her bike. He then covered her nose and mouth, threatened her, and attempted to drag her away. Moussignac allegedly told her, “If you scream, I’ll kill you. I just need help with something.” Despite her struggles, he began dragging her further into the park and started fondling her.
The girl’s father noticed what was happening as he caught up to her abandoned bike. He immediately intervened, shouting and running over to stop the attack. Moussignac fled the scene but was apprehended shortly after by two officers in the area. He was charged with kidnapping, sex abuse of a victim under 13, criminal obstruction of breathing, forcible touching of intimate parts, endangering the welfare of a child, assault, and harassment.
The victim was taken to Jamaica Hospital for injuries sustained during the assault. Moussignac has one prior arrest, although the details are sealed. Following the incident, a local parent expressed concerns about the safety of the more remote areas in the park, citing encounters with “crazy people” lurking there. Brandon Ziegenfuss, a resident who raised his children nearby, emphasized the need to remain vigilant in such areas.
He noted that the police seemed more focused on protecting the upscale section of the park adjacent to Forest Hills, rather than addressing security concerns in the area where the attack occurred. Despite the challenges, he acknowledged the reality of prioritizing certain areas for law enforcement attention. The community remains on edge following this disturbing incident, emphasizing the importance of remaining alert and advocating for increased safety measures in public spaces.
