An 18-year-old Brooklyn man raped a pre-teen member of his extended family, authorities said Monday.
Police arrested David Teitelbaum late Sunday and charged him with rape, sex abuse and acting in a manner injurious to a child younger than 17.
Teitelbaum, who has no previous arrest record, was arraigned on $15,000 cash bail Monday night.
His defense attorney denied all the allegations, noting that his client has no history of trouble with the law.
"He's a full time student," said defense attorney Israel Fried.
"And from what I was told, the complaining witness' mom doesn't want to go forward with the charges," he added.
A source familiar with the case also said the victim’s parents had stopped cooperating with police, fearful of the shame the incident will cause the family.
Prosecutors said the accused was 17 at the time of the alleged rape a year ago.
The incident occurred during the holidays while the families were visiting, and the adults were asleep.
Prosecutors said Teitelbaum pulled his pants down to expose himself to the girl and then penetrated her.
In another incident, Teitelbaum touched the girl over her skirt, the prosecutor said.
Authorities said the girl told her mother, and then later told a therapist.
The therapist didn't initially report the allegations to police. But when the therapist was told last month that the two families would be getting together again for the holidays, the police were notified.
The girl, whose age and relationship to the victim are being withheld to protect her identity, was attacked inside the suspect’s Williamsburg apartment, sources said.
At some point the girl told her mother the suspect had touched her inappropriately, but the family didn't alert the police, sources said.
“The guy rapes their daughter and they’re protecting him — unbelievable” said the source. “I can’t even imagine how angry I’d be if it was my daughter.”
After the therapist notified the NYPD, the Child Abuse Squad launched an investigation.
