Legislator Denise Ford joined with the Nassau County Legislature to honor 3rd Precinct Nassau County Police Officers Patrick Castel and Michael Chiappone who saved a five-year-old child who was seen hanging from a second story window of a Floral Park apartment building after being left home alone by her mother.
On August 30th, 2021, Officers Patrick Castel and Michael Chiappone of the 3rd Squad responded to a call at the apartment complex in Floral Park and observed the five-year-old hanging approximately 25 feet in the air from a second story window and struggling to hang on with her hands. Officer Castel attempted to instruct the child on how to get back inside the open window, but the girl stated she “wanted to come to the ground.” Officer Castel remained underneath the child to catch her if she fell, while Officer Chiappone ran inside the building and kicked-down the apartment door and pulled the child back into the window unharmed. It was determined that the mother had left the child alone for 3 hours. The mother was located and arrested, and the child was put into the custody of her uncle.
“I am proud of our police here in Nassau County. They protect the residents of this county, and they are willing to help in any circumstance to preserve life,” Legislator Ford said. “Thank you to these two brave officers who stopped a bad situation from getting worse, and thank you to all the brave men and women in the Nassau County Police Departments, as well as our village and city departments.”
Shown in photo above, left to right: Eugene Dolan, 3rd Precinct Union Representative; Legislator Ford; Officer Patrick Castel; Officer Michael Chiappone; Legislator John Giuffre; PBA President Tommy Shevlin; Dave Re, PBA 2nd Vice President; James Shanahan, Financial Secretary of PBA.