New York State Police arrested a 21-year-old Summit man on Thursday after a search for a missing child under 17 led investigators to his home, where they allege he subjected the minor to sexual activity. David Hadsell now faces charges of third-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child, and he was taken into custody at the scene.
Troopers responded to the town of Summit on October 8 while searching for a child younger than 17 who had been reported missing, according to News10 ABC. State Police located the minor at Hadsell's home and determined that he had allegedly subjected the child to sexual activity at the residence, the outlet reported. Hadsell was taken into custody at the scene once investigators confirmed the minor's whereabouts.
Charges Filed After Arraignment
Hadsell was charged with third-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child, per the same report. He was held at the Schoharie County Jail without bail ahead of further proceedings following his appearance in Schoharie County Centralized Arraignment Part Court. No additional details on the case against him, including the identity or age of the child involved, have been made public.
Under New York law, rape in the third degree applies to vaginal sexual contact with a person incapable of consent, though the statutory language made available does not spell out every element of the charge, according to the New York State Senate. Endangering the welfare of a child is classified as a Class A misdemeanor under state law, the Senate's published statute excerpt shows, though it likewise does not detail the full scope of the offense.
A Prior Arrest Involving a Missing Teenager
Thursday's arrest was not Hadsell's first brush with the law tied to a missing minor. In May 2025, State Police arrested Hadsell, then 20, along with 20-year-old Mario Sierra of East Meredith, each charged with second-degree kidnapping, a Class B felony, as reported by CBS6 Albany. That case stemmed from a missing-teenager report out of Root, New York, with investigators saying the teen had met Sierra on social media and was picked up by Sierra and Hadsell without the guardian's knowledge or permission.
Hadsell faced additional charges in that 2025 case, including fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, endangering the welfare of a child, and vehicle and traffic law violations, CBS6 Albany reported. He and Sierra were arraigned at Root Town Court and remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $2,500 cash or $15,000 bond. It is not known from available records how that earlier case was ultimately resolved.
As of Thursday's arraignment, Hadsell awaits further proceedings in the new case while held without bail at the Schoharie County Jail. No further details about the circumstances of the alleged sexual activity, or about the child's identity, have been released.
