Center Moriches preschool owner wards off man who tried to break into church with classrooms inside
A total of 19 students and two staff sheltered in place during the incident.
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Gentle Hearts Preschool owner Ellen Frazzetta said she heard banging on one of the doors at the front of Prysebeterian Church of the Moriches Tuesday afternoon and immediately ran to check it out.
She rents two classrooms in the back of the building, where on Tuesday, 19 kids and three staff members were eating green bagels for St. Patrick's Day.
Frazzetta said she made eye contact with a man, who Suffolk County police said was trying to kick in one of the doors in an attempted burglary.
"You don't really think you just react and my first thought was grab my phone, call 911, make sure those kids are locked in and safe," she said.
Frazzetta was able to lock several doors and confronted the man, who ran off before getting inside.
"He and I made eye contact as he was trying to break the door," Frazzetta said. "I called 911. I locked that door, I locked the doors to the big room and the basement door in the foyer."
Suffolk County police responded just after noon and searched the property before clearing it, she said.
Three hours later, investigators said they located Daniel Fanuele, 30, in Mastic, about four miles from the church.
"It's terrifying and it is a huge responsibility to keep little ones safe whether at home or school," Frazzetta said. "The world is becoming a little bit of a scary place these days."
Other people in the community were shocked by the allegations.
"These communities are very quiet," Moriches resident Tina Woods said. "For something like that to happen, it's just getting out of hand."
No one inside the church was injured, and Fazzetta said she and her staff were able to keep the young kids blissfully unaware of the scary situation that had unfolded.
"This whole time, the kids had no clue whatsoever," Frazzetta said. "To this moment now they have no clue what went on."
Suffolk County police charged Fanuele with third degree attempted burglary and criminal mischief.
