Rotterdam Paramedic Arrested for Sexual Abuse of 4-Year-Old Child

A 31-year-old paramedic from Rotterdam has been arrested for sexually abusing a 4-year-old child, police announced Wednesday morning.

David Harnett was arrested Jan. 1 on charges of predatory sexual assault against a child (class-A2 felony) and first-degree rape (class-B felony).

The abuse did not occur while Harnett was on duty, police say.

Police say the victim told her mother about the alleged abuse. The mother took the child to the hospital, where Child Protective Services was alerted to the case.

Child Protective Services in turn contacted Rotterdam police, who launched an investigation.

Harnett had been working as a full-time civilian paramedic for the town of Rotterdam from 2002 until July of 2006. He has been employed as a per-diem paramedic since then, but the town says it has terminated Harnett's employment.

A background check on Harnett showed no suspicious activity before he was hired by the town. "There was no criminal history," noted Lt. Mike Brown of the Rotterdam Police Department. "There was no indication that he would be involved in anything of this nature that we were able to see."

Neighbors say they're stunned by the allegations. "We can't believe it," said neighbor Anthony Fusco, who lives with his wife Terry. "I'll tell ya, for the few years he lived here, every time I asked him, he helped me out all the time."

Harnett was arraigned and is in Schenectady County Jail without bail. He is scheduled to reappear in town court Thursday evening.