A man suspected of raping a 7-year-old girl last week inside her Staten Island home is in police custody.
Daniel Nieto, 32, was apprehended Tuesday and taken into custody in East Brunswick, New Jersey, the NYPD said.
Police say charges against Nieto are pending.
Nieto was identified as a suspect after a man raped the girl at about 2:45 a.m. Thursday inside her home, police said. The suspect entered through a back door, attacked the girl in her bedroom and then fled, investigators said.
Nieto was arrested on trespassing charges Thursday, but released before officers learned of the alleged rape. Police say the girl did not come forward about the sexual attack until Friday.
Neighbors were horrified to hear about the attack.
"It's terrible that something could happen to a little girl," he said.
Local
Joseph Napoli said, "I have daughters, I have grandkids. And that's horrible, just horrible."
Police say the investigation is ongoing.
