Police: Hempstead man charged in pit bull attack on teen

An 18-year-old from Hempstead was charged after, police said, he and two accomplices grabbed a 14-year-old boy Saturday evening and dangled him over a fence — where an unleashed pit bull then attacked the boy.

Nassau County police said the victim, whose identity was not released, was bitten on the leg three times. He was taken to a hospital, where he received stitches, police said.

Christian Siley, 18, was arrested Sunday at his West Columbia Street home and charged with second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

At arraignment Monday in First District Court in Hempstead, Judge Paul Meli set Siley’s bail at $25,000.

Siley is a Hempstead High School student who works as a landscaper, according to his arraignment lawyer, Kenneth Feraru of Mineola. He told the judge Siley denied the allegations.

Feraru declined to comment further outside court, except to confirm he entered a not guilty plea on the record.

Police said Siley and two others, who are still being sought, grabbed the 14-year-old in front of a Cornell Street home and held the boy sideways over the fence, where the dog attacked him. Police said the reason for the assault is “unknown” — but said Siley knows the victim.

Police ask anyone with information regarding the incident or the other suspects at large to call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-8477. All calls will remain confidential.

With Bridget Murphy

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”