Cops respond to Bay Shore mosque incident involving young child

Suffolk County police arrested a homeless man Wednesday evening for trying to abduct a 4-year-old boy during a prayer service at a Bay Shore mosque, cops said.

The incident occurred about 5:45 p.m. at Masjid Darul Quran, located at 1514 East Third Avenue. Police said Nelson Priester, 39, led the child away from the main prayer hall and into a basement kitchen, barricading the door.

A worshiper who witnessed Priester take the boy alerted the child’s grandfather, police said. Multiple people tried to open the kitchen door but were unable. One person then climbed through a service window and reached the child, who was unharmed.

Priester was charged with second-degree attempted kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child. He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at First District Court in Central Islip.

_{Top photos: SCPD and Google Maps.}