Patchogue, N.Y. — A 4-year-old girl disappeared from a Patchogue laundromat for several terrifying minutes after a man accused of luring her away allegedly promised to take her to a “secret room,” according to Suffolk County prosecutors.
Carlos Corte, a 38-year-old Ecuadorian national, now faces felony kidnapping charges after prosecutors said he walked the child through downtown Patchogue and into the Patchogue-Medford Library on March 28. The girl’s mother eventually found her inside the library after witnesses directed her there during a frantic search.
He was arrested by ICE after being released by local officials on April 7.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced Wednesday that a grand jury indicted Corte on charges of second-degree kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child. Prosecutors said Corte could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top charge.
Child Found at Library After Mother’s Search
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, the child had been at a laundromat with family members around 11:20 a.m. when Corte allegedly entered the business without carrying laundry or appearing to use the facility.
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Investigators said Corte approached the girl near the rear vestibule area and spoke with her for nearly 10 minutes before allegedly leading her outside. Prosecutors allege he held the door open, motioned for the child to follow him, and left the laundromat with her.
Authorities said Corte then walked with the child through downtown Patchogue, at times holding her hand, before entering the children’s section of the Patchogue-Medford Library.
Library employees initially believed Corte was the child’s father, prosecutors said. According to the investigation, librarians greeted the pair, but Corte allegedly did not respond. A short time later, prosecutors said Corte told library staff the child had followed him to the building, prompting employees to alert security.
The child’s mother, meanwhile, had realized her daughter was missing and began searching the surrounding area. Witnesses reportedly told her they had seen the girl walking with a man and pointed her toward the library.
The mother located her daughter inside the library with Corte, according to prosecutors. Authorities said Corte allegedly apologized for taking the child.
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Later, the girl disclosed that Corte had allegedly told her he planned to bring her to a “secret room,” prosecutors said.
Key Points
• Suffolk County prosecutors said a 4-year-old girl was taken from a Patchogue laundromat on March 28.
• Investigators allege Carlos Corte led the child through downtown Patchogue to a local library.
• Corte now faces kidnapping and child endangerment charges and remains jailed pending trial.
ICE Detained Defendant After Initial Court Release
Corte was arrested shortly after the incident after returning to the laundromat, according to the district attorney’s office.
On March 29, prosecutors charged him with second-degree kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child during an initial arraignment. Suffolk County prosecutors requested bail set at $150,000 cash, $300,000 bond, or a $1.5 million partially secured bond.
The court instead ordered Corte released with GPS monitoring, prosecutors said.
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District Attorney Tierney criticized the release decision while announcing the indictment.
“Public safety demands that alleged dangerous predators remain behind bars, not released back into our communities to potentially harm other innocent children,” Tierney said in a statement. “Thanks to the swift action of ICE, following this defendant’s release, we were able to secure his detention and obtain a grand jury indictment on these serious charges.”
Federal immigration authorities later became involved in the case. Prosecutors said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Corte on March 31 after determining he had allegedly entered the United States illegally from Ecuador.
According to the district attorney’s office, ICE notified prosecutors after taking Corte into custody. An assistant district attorney then obtained a court writ to return Corte to Suffolk County to face prosecution.
Grand Jury Indictment Keeps Defendant in Custody
Corte appeared in Suffolk County Supreme Court on Wednesday for arraignment on the indictment before Justice John B. Collins.
The indictment charges him with second-degree kidnapping, classified under New York law as a Class B violent felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a Class A misdemeanor.
Justice Collins ordered Corte held without release while the criminal case moves forward.
The case has drawn attention because prosecutors allege Corte had no prior relationship with the child or her family before the encounter at the laundromat.
Authorities have not indicated that the child suffered physical injuries during the incident. Prosecutors also have not released additional details about what allegedly occurred during the walk to the library beyond the child’s statement about a “secret room.”
The Patchogue-Medford Library and local law enforcement agencies have not publicly released additional statements beyond the details outlined by prosecutors.
Corte is scheduled to return to court on June 18, 2026. He is represented by the Legal Aid Society. The criminal charges remain allegations, and Corte is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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