What Happened
A 10-year-old girl suffered a hand injury in a fireworks accident at General Douglas MacArthur Park on Staten Island Tuesday evening, and a New York City Parks Department employee is now under arrest, according to CBS New York.
The incident took place at approximately 6:45 p.m. Tuesday at the park, located in the Midland section of Staten Island. According to police, as reported by CBS New York, the girl approached Parks Department employee Joshua Moe, 24, and asked him for a lighter. Moe provided her with one. The child was then injured in a fireworks accident, sustaining an injury to her left hand.
The girl was transported to a hospital for treatment of the hand injury. CBS New York video from the scene showed cleanup crews working at General Douglas MacArthur Park in the aftermath of the accident.
Moe was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment. The New York City Parks Department confirmed the arrest and stated it will investigate the matter internally.
Location & Road Context
General Douglas MacArthur Park is located in the Midland section of Staten Island, a residential neighborhood on the eastern shore of the borough. The park is a public green space maintained by the New York City Parks Department, the same agency that employed Moe at the time of the incident.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Joshua Moe, 24, a New York City Parks Department employee, was arrested following the Tuesday evening incident, CBS New York reports. He faces two criminal charges: endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment. In addition to the criminal proceedings, the NYC Parks Department has announced it will conduct its own internal investigation into Moe’s conduct and the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Broader Impact
The arrest of a Parks Department employee for providing a lighter to a child who was then injured by fireworks raises direct questions about staff conduct and supervision protocols at New York City public parks, particularly during summer months when illegal fireworks use spikes across the five boroughs.