N.Y.C. Uncle Faces Assault Charge After Allegedly Throwing 1-Year-Old Niece Down Trash Chute By Sean Neumann

A New York City man was arrested after police say he threw his 1-year-old niece down a garbage chute, PEOPLE has learned.

A spokesperson with the New York City Police Department confirmed with PEOPLE that Aaron Henderson, 39, has been charged with three counts of assault, two counts of unlawful imprisonment, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

The NYPD spokesperson said officers responded to an apartment building at 195 Steuben St in the Park Hill neighborhood of Staten Island shortly after receiving a 911 call around 3 p.m. on Monday, July 21. 

“Upon arrival, officers were informed that a 39-year-old male placed a 1-year-old female inside of a garbage chute,” the NYPD spokesperson said.

The infant suffered a “minor abrasion to the torso” and was taken to Staten Island University North Campus hospital in stable condition.

The New York Daily News reported that Henderson has autism, and that the girl’s parents rushed downstairs to help rescue their child after realizing what had happened.

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WABC reported that the baby girl fell down the chute from the third floor of the apartment building, landing on the first floor. The outlet reported that police described Henderson, the girl’s uncle, as “emotionally disturbed” at the time of his arrest.

Neighbors appeared stunned by the news, according to the outlet.

“I’ve been here for over 20 years, it’s saddening,” neighbor Milton Franklin told WABC from his apartment door, explaining that he had seen the girl’s mother go in the ambulance with her infant daughter, who was crying.

“I’m hurt,” Franklin added. “I’m just going to pray that God wraps his arms around this family and that they get through the situation.”