Family speaks after Bronx man arrested in connection with sexually motivated burglary involving child in wakefield
Police say 35-year-old Tishawn Maile was arrested on July 17th and facing a slew of charges for breaking into the room of an 8-year-old girl on May 25.
Police say 35-year-old Tishawn Maile was arrested on July 17 after nearly two months on the run for breaking into the room of an 8-year-old girl in Wakefield.
Investigators say the incident happened on May 25 in a home near De Reimer Avenue and Bussing Avenue just after 5 a.m.
They say Maile snuck into the young girl's bedroom through a window. He then exposed himself and performed a lewd act before fleeing.
On Monday, the victim’s grandmother spoke to News 12 exclusively saying the family was hearing about the arrest for the first time.
“I feel much calmer and I am ready for justice,” said Erika Diego, in Spanish.
Diego says she was home when the suspect broke into the home. She says the victim was in the room with her two brothers, an 11-year-old and a 5-year-old. Diego’s grandson called her alerting her that something was wrong.
“My oldest grandson called me from the room saying someone wanted to hurt his sister. I almost fell to the floor with fear but I broke through the room door, but by then the guy was gone,” she said.
The family has used nails to keep the window shut but they say the children still don’t find comfort sleeping in the room.
She hopes the arrest will help the children move past the tragedy.
“I can hopefully start to sleep peacefully, because we’ve been really bad,” she said.
Maile faces several charges including harassment, burglary, endangering the welfare of a child, sexual abuse, forcible touching, public lewdness, criminal trespass, and trespass.
He is expected to be back in court on Thursday.
