A second man was arrested in the kidnapping of a teen girl on Long Island who was held captive on a boat for weeks.
Prosecutors charged 47-year-old Bunice Knight of Copiague with rape and endangering the welfare of a child, stemming from the disappearance of a 14-year-old from Patchogue who was found on Jan. 3, on a boat docked at the Whitecap Marina.
The new charges came a week after 64-year-old Francis Burkheit was arrested and charged with rape and kidnapping.
Both Knight and Burkheit have pleaded not guilty. Knight's attorney, Glenn Obedin, said they "look forward to rigorously defending this case." Burkheit's attorney, Danielle Papa, said her client is "emotional, he's upset he maintains his innocence."
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According to court papers, the girl was brought to a house on Jan. 2 for about an hour, a day before she was found on a boat at the marina. Police said they used security video from the neighboring homes to help arrest Knight.
The teen victim first disappeared in early December, having been seen leaving her home in an unknown car. Her father searched for her every day, following leads on his own.
"There’s a lot more to this story than what’s been presented in the papers at this time, which we are in the process of investigating," said Papa.
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It was not clear whether Buckheit and Knight know each other, but more details are expected to be announced once the indictments are unsealed.
