A man from Westchester County has been charged with raping a 13-year-old girl in a park in the Bronx, and a judge has granted him supervised release while the case is investigated further. The charges have drawn attention both for the gravity of the allegation and for the decision to release the accused as the inquiry continues.
Police identified the man as 36-year-old Abundio Hernandez Canto of Yonkers, who was arrested on Monday. According to the criminal complaint, he faces charges that include rape, endangering the welfare of a child, sexual misconduct and sexual abuse.
According to police, the man approached the 13-year-old girl on a BX-9 bus, and after he got off the bus he took her into a wooded area of Van Cortland Park, where the assault is said to have taken place. The account of the attack forms the basis of the charges now filed against him.
The girl, a minor, is not being identified. As with any criminal case, the charges are allegations and the accused is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until proven guilty in court.
According to a law enforcement source, the prosecutor asked that Hernandez Canto be granted supervised release in order to conduct a more thorough investigation, and the judge agreed to that request. The decision means the accused is not being held in custody while the case moves forward.
A spokesperson for the Bronx District Attorney's office told News 12 that Hernandez Canto does not have a criminal record in the Bronx. His next court date has been set for 28 July, when the case is due to return before a judge.
The case, involving a young teenager and a public park, has raised concern in the borough, particularly over the handling of the accused's release during the investigation. Authorities have not released further details as the inquiry continues, and the coming court date is expected to shape the next stage of the proceedings.