An Elmont man was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and child endangerment after witnesses called 911 to report he had been “observed repeatedly punching” his 5-year-old daughter with “a closed fist” at a neighborhood park, Nassau County police said.

Stanley Frederique, 36, of 240th Street, was arrested near the intersection of Elmont Road and Cromer Road West about 1 1/2 hours after the incident, which police said took place up the block at Elmont Road Park at about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday.

Police said the girl, whose name was not released because she is a minor and because she is the victim of an alleged assault, was located a short time later with her mother — at her mother’s workplace. The mother’s name also was withheld.

The girl was transported to a hospital for treatment and evaluation of “pain to her head,” police said.

Police said that witnesses called 911 to report the assault, saying Frederique had punched the girl “with a closed fist to the head as he was pulling her out” of the park “by her hair and arm.”

Responding officers were unable to immediately locate Frederique, police said, but made the arrest at 9:40 p.m. after finding him based on the description provided by witnesses.

Frederique is scheduled for arraignment Thursday in First District Court in Hempstead.

It seems shark sightings are dominating headlines on Long Island and researchers are on a quest to find out why more sharks are showing up in Long Island waters. NewsdayTV meteorologist Rich Von Ohlen discusses how to stay safe.  Credit: Newsday/A. J. Singh; Gary Licker

'Beneath the Surface': A look at the rise in shark sightings off LI shores It seems shark sightings are dominating headlines on Long Island and researchers are on a quest to find out why more sharks are showing up in Long Island waters. NewsdayTV meteorologist Rich Von Ohlen discusses how to stay safe. 

It seems shark sightings are dominating headlines on Long Island and researchers are on a quest to find out why more sharks are showing up in Long Island waters. NewsdayTV meteorologist Rich Von Ohlen discusses how to stay safe.  Credit: Newsday/A. J. Singh; Gary Licker

'Beneath the Surface': A look at the rise in shark sightings off LI shores It seems shark sightings are dominating headlines on Long Island and researchers are on a quest to find out why more sharks are showing up in Long Island waters. NewsdayTV meteorologist Rich Von Ohlen discusses how to stay safe. 

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