Legislator John Giuffré 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.
“Thank you, Officers Castel, and Chiappone for acting swiftly and saving the life of this five-year-old girl,” Legislator John Giuffré said. “Thanks to their quick thinking a situation that could have ended badly was avoided.”
Shown in photo above, left to right: Eugene Dolan, 3rd Precinct Union Representative; Legislator Giuffré; Officer Michael Chiappone; Officer Patrick Castel; PBA President Tommy Shevlin; Dave Re, PBA 2nd Vice President; James Shanahan, Financial Secretary of PBA.