Mariners Harbor man charged with biting his daughter

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Mariners Harbor man who allegedly bit his 6-year-old daughter to teach her a lesson is learning a lesson himself: What he did was a crime, prosecutors charge.

Police arrested Eric Farley, 32, Wednesday on misdemeanor counts of assault and endangering the welfare of a child, a spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan said. He's also accused of a lesser count of harassment.

The incident occurred April 28 inside the suspect's Destiny Court home, court papers stated.

It came to light only days later, when a teacher at the victim's school noticed a large bite mark on the little girl's arm, a law enforcement source said.

When questioned, the girl said her father had bit her to teach her not to bite her brother, the source said. The findings were reported to authorities.

Farley told police the biting was accidental, the source said.