A city parks employee was arrested after allegedly handing a lighter to a 10-year-old girl who used it to ignite an illegal firecracker.
Joshua Moe, 24, was inside General Douglas MacArthur Park on Jefferson Street in Dongan Hills, Staten Island, around 6:40 p.m. When the child approached him, police said.
The girl asked Moe for a lighter, and he allegedly obliged, according to law enforcement sources.
She then lit an M-80 firecracker.
The explosive detonated and caused severe injuries to her left hand, including at least one finger blown off, sources said.
The child’s mother called 911 immediately.
Emergency responders transported the girl to Staten Island University Hospital North for treatment.
Moe was arrested approximately 30 minutes later, around 7:10 p.m.
He was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment, police said.
Moe’s arraignment was pending as of Wednesday, according to Staten Island prosecutors.
The city Parks Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It remained unclear how the child obtained the illegal firework.
M-80s are federally classified as explosive devices and have been illegal for consumer use since 1966.
The powerful firecrackers, originally developed for military simulation purposes, can contain up to 50 milligrams of explosive powder.
Even small M-80s pack enough force to cause serious bodily harm.
In the viral moment that preceded the arrest, a routine evening at a Staten Island park turned catastrophic when a city employee allegedly made a split-second decision with devastating consequences. The 10-year-old girl, whose name has been withheld due to her age, suffered permanent disfigurement in a blast that echoed across the borough. Her mother’s frantic emergency call set off a rapid police response that culminated in Moe’s arrest minutes later. The incident has raised serious questions about vetting and training for city parks workers who interact with the public.
Moe faces ongoing criminal proceedings in Staten Island.