What Happened
A woman entered the grounds of Notre Dame Elementary School on Mayfair Road in New Hyde Park around 1:30 p.m. Thursday and defaced the school’s statue of Saint Michael before fleeing on foot, according to Nassau County police. The incident was reported August 21, 2026, and investigators are now asking the public to help identify her.
According to News 12 Long Island, the woman blackened both eyes of the Saint Michael statue. A photograph released by investigators showed the damage to the statue’s face. Police gave no account of what implement or substance she used.
The woman left the school grounds on foot immediately after. Nassau County police described her last known clothing as a pink shirt and blue jeans. She was carrying a suitcase at the time she was seen.
No arrests had been made as of the time of News 12’s report, filed at 5:32 a.m. on August 21, 2026. The woman has not been publicly named or identified. Nassau County police classified the incident as vandalism of a religious statue on school property.
Location & Road Context
Notre Dame Elementary School sits on Mayfair Road in New Hyde Park, a hamlet in Nassau County straddling the border of the Town of North Hempstead and the Village of New Hyde Park. Mayfair Road is a residential street; the school grounds are accessible from the road without a perimeter barrier.
New Hyde Park has seen several public-safety incidents in recent weeks. A missing person report out of North New Hyde Park was filed August 8, 2026, and a grandmother was arrested in New Hyde Park on July 18, 2026 after police found children in distress at a residence there.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Nassau County Crime Stoppers is taking tips at 1-800-244-TIPS. No charges have been filed and no suspect has been named. The investigation is being handled by Nassau County police.
Broader Impact
Vandalism of religious property on school grounds can carry charges under New York Penal Law § 240.30 (aggravated harassment) or § 145.60 (criminal mischief as a hate crime) depending on prosecutorial findings about motive — though Nassau County police have not publicly specified which statutes apply here. The next concrete step is a public identification of the woman through the Crime Stoppers tip line.