E. Hampton man charged with endangering child

An East Hampton man was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child after, police said, he approached a young girl walking home from Springs School and made "inappropriate comments."

Mariano Melchor-Galindo, 35, of 4 Poplar St., was arrested Wednesday after the girl gave East Hampton Town police "a detailed description" of the suspect, Chief Edward V. Ecker Jr. said in a statement.

Melchor-Galindo was arraigned Thursday in East Hampton Town Justice Court.

Details of his arraignment were not immediately known.

Police said the incident occurred near Parson Place at about 3:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Police did not detail what Melchor-Galindo said to the girl, but said the comments "scared, alarmed and frightened her" and that she immediately ran home and told her parents.

In a statement released Friday, Ecker said the parents of the girl, whose identity was not released, immediately called police, who located Melchor-Galindo and arrested him.

It was not known whether Melchor-Galindo was represented by a lawyer. Calls to Springs School Principal Eric Casale were not immediately returned.