Drunk dad abandons his three-year-old daughter at Subway in the middle of the night after buying her a foot-long sandwich

  • Stanley Fredrique, 34, took Natalie to the store in Harlem, New York 
  • He then bought the youngster a meal before walking out of the restaurant
  • Girl started screaming 'daddy, daddy', so he promised he would be back 
  • But an employee took her to a police station when he didn't return
  • He started crying when he was arrested by police and taken into custody 

A three-year-old girl was abandoned at a Subway after her drunk father bought her a foot-long sandwich and left, police have said.

Stanley Fredrique, 34, of Elmont in Long Island, took Natalie to the fast-food chain in Harlem, New York, just before midnight on Saturday, and told her to sit at a table and wait for him to come back - but he never did.

Surveillance footage obtained by CBS 2 shows the pair happily walking hand-in-hand along the sidewalk together before walking into the restaurant. 

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Three-year-old Natalie
Stanley Fredrique

Stanley Fredrique, 34, (right) of Elmont in Long Island, took Natalie (left) to the fast-food chain in Harlem, New York, just before midnight on Saturday

But when he purchased the meal inside, he told the girl to stay put as he walked out.

The child ran behind him shouting 'daddy, daddy', so he promised he would return.  

A concerned employee then took the girl, who was sitting waiting for her father at a table, to a nearby police station after realizing Fredrique was not coming back.

Fredrique told police he had forgotten her and tried to report her missing the next day. 

The New York Daily News captured him in tears as he was arrested in the same shirt he wore to the restaurant the night before.  

He is now facing child endangerment charges.

Surveillance footage shows the pair happily walking hand-in-hand along the sidewalk together before walking into the restaurant

Surveillance footage shows the pair happily walking hand-in-hand along the sidewalk together before walking into the restaurant

He then purchased a meal in the Harlem store (pictured), but told the girl to stay put as he walked out. The child ran behind him shouting 'daddy, daddy', so he promised he would return

He then purchased a meal in the Harlem store (pictured), but told the girl to stay put as he walked out. The child ran behind him shouting 'daddy, daddy', so he promised he would return

Workers in the store said Natalie was completely unfazed by what was going on and remained calm

Workers in the store said Natalie was completely unfazed by what was going on and remained calm

As he was taken into custody, he protested his arrest to PIX 11, screaming: 'You guys not in my shoes, you guys don’t have no idea what’s going on.' 

He insisted he did not leave his daughter and blamed his actions on being 'sick'. 

Natalie returned home to her mother on Sunday.

Subway worker Dipongkar Mandol told the Daily News: 'When he was ordering the sandwich he feel very nervous. 

'I think maybe something is wrong with this guy.'

The Subway worker added: 'I'm like, maybe he go outside for something else. 

'Maybe he'll be back and pick her up. But no, he didn't come the whole night.'

Despite the chaotic scenes, Mandol said the youngster did not seem phased her father had abandoned her.

'She's strong, this girl. This little girl she was strong. She didn't care.' 

Fruit stall worker Mohammed Rahman, 37, was next to the Subway when he saw Fredrique leave the girl.

He said his behavior looked 'abnormal' and he seemed drunk. 

 

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