Woman in harassment case of girl, 9, is rearrested

A Hauppauge social worker charged last year with endangering a child and harassment after she allegedly posted a sexually suggestive advertisement on Craigslist directing calls to a 9-year-old girl was arrested again on Friday, accused of ignoring a court order that forbade her from going near the home of the girl's family, Suffolk County police said.

Police arrested Margery E. Tannenbaum, 42, after she drove by the Smithtown home of the girl, who authorities say was victimized in the online ad in February 2009. The ad was an act of revenge because the girl was having a dispute with Tannenbaum's own daughter, also 9 at the time, police said.

Newsday is not identifying the victim, whose name was included in the ad.

About 9:15 a.m. Friday, Tannenbaum drove by the girl's home in violation of a protection order dated July 28, 2010, ordering her to stay away from the home, the girl and her mother, Suffolk police said.

Suffolk County District Court Judge Toni A. Bean issued the order, police said. Court papers did not include the reason for the order. An earlier protection order was issued after Tannenbaum's arrest in May 2009.

According to court records, Tannenbaum on Friday drove her sport utility vehicle slowly past the house as the girl's mother was outside talking to a neighbor. The girl's mother said Tannenbaum made an obscene gesture.

A spokesman for the Suffolk district attorney's office confirmed that the girl's mother reported the incident to police. "Margery's action did cause me annoyance and alarm," the woman said, according to a police report included in court documents.

Tad M. Scharfenberg, who represents Tannenbaum in the earlier criminal charges, said she denied any violation of the order of protection.

According to the court documents, Tannenbaum told police: "I drove by her house but I was just going to Pilates."

Tannenbaum's husband, Glen, said Sunday the family is "not interested" in talking about the case.

The February 2009 charge of endangering the welfare of a child was filed after police learned about the ad in the "casual encounters" section of Craigslist. In May 2009, prosecutors added the charge of aggravated harassment.

Tannenbaum's next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday at First District Court in Central Islip.

With Patrick Whittle