In the news announced by District Attorney Melinda Katz on September 26th, Christian Inga, an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador, was indicted by a grand jury of the Queens County Supreme Court for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in Kissena Park in Flushing in June of this year. He faces 16 counts, including predatory sexual assault, and could potentially receive life imprisonment.
The 25-year-old Inga appeared before Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant of the Queens County Supreme Court on those charges, which include three counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree criminal sexual act, two counts of second-degree criminal sexual act, two counts of second-degree kidnapping, two counts of first-degree robbery, one count of first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, totaling 16 charges.
Inga has been in custody since his arrest, and Justice Pandit-Durant ordered him to remain in detention until the next court date scheduled for November 12th. Katz emphasized that predatory sexual assault is among the most serious charges for sexual offenses in New York state, and if convicted, the defendant could face between 25 years to life in prison.
The incident took place around 3:30 pm on June 13th when Inga allegedly threatened two 13-year-old boys and a girl who had just finished school in Kissena Park in Flushing with a knife, forcibly took them into the woods, tied them up, gagged them, and proceeded to rape the girl. Before fleeing the park, Inga also stole the victims’ cell phones. This heinous crime sparked outrage in the community, and eventually, Inga was apprehended by residents in Corona, Queens, who alerted the authorities leading to his arrest.
Following the sexual assault case, nearby residents expressed concern for their safety. They mentioned that the wooded pathway in the park is densely covered with trees, causing fear when walking through it. They suggested that the New York City Police Department increase patrols in the area and install surveillance cameras for added security.