Police have made an arrest in the rape last July of a Center for Disabled Services resident.
DNA evidenced matched that of a former employee of the center, Dalo T. Richard, 29, of 595 Third St., Albany. The disabled resident, whose condition made her unable to inform police or center staff of the rape, recently gave birth to a healthy baby, said police.
Immediately following a report to police that a routine physical of the center resident uncovered the pregnancy, officers took DNA evidence of 15 male employees of the center. All 15 willingly gave mouth swabs to police.
Upon the birth of the baby, a warrant out of Colonie Town Court ordered that the baby’s DNA be matched against the suspects. Richard was a match. At the time he was no longer an employee at the center.
We were able to secure the warrant for the baby’s DNA and that matched up with Dalo Richard being the father, said Colonie Lt. John Van Alstyne. `This one (the arrest) is up there on the list in my 21 years (with Colonie) as one of the most horrendous crimes I’ve seen.`
Richard was arraigned in Town Court and sent to Albany County jail without bail. He is being charged with felony rape and sexual abuse of a physically helpless individual.
According to police, Richard had previously been arrested on a minor drug possession charge.
Both police and center staff are giving out little information regarding the case in order to protect the identity of the victim and the baby.
Center staff will not confirm the identity of the victim and the name of the home where she resides out of respect for the family’s privacy.
In a written statement, center staff praised the efforts of Colonie investigators.
`On behalf of the Center for Disabled Services Community, we want to commend and thank the Colonie Police Department and the Albany County District Attorney’s office for their professionalism and diligence in this manner. We will continue to work with these agencies, and we are confident that justice will be served,` wrote Anne Schneider Costigan, center spokeswoman.
The concern and focus continues to be the health and wellbeing of the consumer, or center residents, Schneider Costigan wrote.
`We are working closely with her family and other caregivers and will continue to do so while respecting the family’s right to privacy,` she said.
The Center for Disabled Services began in 1942 as a small nursery school for children with cerebral palsy, but has grown into a regional provider to thousands of people with 300 different physical, neurological, cognitive and medical disability diagnoses.
The center emphasizes the health and wellbeing of each individual under its care and is committed to an independent lifestyle for its consumers, said Schneider Costigan.
The Center serves 37 counties throughout the state, as well as neighboring states.“