A reportedly 6-foot tall and 200-pound 14-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the alleged rape of a 37-year-old woman who was attacked while making a delivery on Staten Island, New York police said.
The teenager was taken into custody at around 10:30am on Monday, 28 September, in connection with the 9 September attack in the Dongan Hills neighbourhood. Police said he was charged with rape, assault, sexual abuse, criminal possession of a firearm, sexual misconduct, forcible touching, menacing and harassment.
According to authorities, the woman was making a delivery near Dongan Hills Avenue and Jefferson Street at around 6pm when she was approached by the teenager, who was described by law enforcement sources as a 'total stranger' to the victim.
The suspect allegedly struck the woman in the face with a firearm before sexually assaulting her. She was taken to hospital following the attack and was reported to be in stable condition.
Police had previously released a sketch showing a suspect wearing a mask over part of his face and a hood pulled over his head. The teenager's identity has not been released because of his age.
Attack Raised Concerns Over Delivery Worker Safety
The victim was reportedly delivering a package of hair products to an apartment building when she was attacked, according to local reports. A resident, Niesha Sosa, described hearing a noise in the hallway after the incident.
'Next thing you know I heard a thump as I was going down on the elevator, I heard a thump, in the hallway,' Sosa said.
She said the incident could easily have involved her.
'If she would have got on that elevator and I would have waited and it took too long, I would have went down the stairs,' Sosa said. 'That could have happened to me.'
The attack has also renewed concerns among residents about security at city-run housing complexes. About three weeks before the arrest, $1m (£741,000) in federal funding was announced for security improvements, including cameras in building lobbies, outside areas and elevators.
It remains unclear whether the victim was employed by a major delivery company or was making the delivery independently.
The case comes as New York continues to grapple with safety concerns affecting people who deliver packages and other goods across the city.
Other Delivery Workers Have Faced Violent Attacks
The Staten Island case follows several serious attacks involving delivery and postal workers in New York.
In July 2025, delivery worker Santiago Ajsac Sirin was attacked in Manhattan's Kips Bay while sitting outside a Target on Second Avenue. Prosecutors said two men approached him and that he was repeatedly punched before his backpack and possessions were taken. He suffered severe head injuries and later died.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced upgraded murder charges against two defendants in March 2026. Both were charged with second-degree murder, with prosecutors stressing that the allegations had not been proven in court.
Another postal worker was attacked in Crown Heights in March 2026. Police said a 48-year-old worker was delivering mail near Bedford Avenue when a man demanded a package before allegedly slashing the worker in the face. The victim required 29 stitches, according to his union representative.
New York City also expanded protections for delivery workers in January 2026, including higher minimum pay and greater pay transparency. The rules cover about 80,000 workers.
