Published: November 02, 2009 09:29 pm      

FALLS SCHOOLS: Student arrested in rape that occurred at school

A Niagara Falls High School junior has been charged with raping a classmate at the school.

The attack reportedly took place in a stairwell of the high school while classes were in session on Oct. 7.

Nicholas D’Angelo, 16, 8671 Griffin Ave., was charged with first-degree rape and first-degree criminal sex act. He was arraigned in Niagara Falls City Court and released from custody after posting $10,000 bail.

“The allegation is of a rape in a stairwell at the high school,” Falls Police Juvenile Division Capt. Nicholas Paonessa said. “The victim reported the attack to (school officials) and they immediately took action to contact us.”

Paonessa said the victim is a 14-year-old student and the attack was quick in nature.

“There was a very short window of opportunity where the suspect was alone with the victim,” Paonessa said.

Schools Superintendent Cynthia Bianco said Monday there was little she could say about the attack because it was “a police matter.”

“When we became aware of the situation, we referred it to the police,” Bianco said,” and we notified the parents (of the victim and the suspect).”

Bianco said the school did not make any attempt to notify parents throughout the district.

“No we wouldn’t do that,” she said. “It’s an alleged situation, so we didn’t (notify all parents).”

Prosecutors said an investigation was continuing.

“These are pretty serious allegations,” Assistant District Attorney Robert Zucco said. “We are continuing to investigate them and I imagine the grand jury may look (at the case).”

Zucco said he was still waiting for additional medical records to review and was waiting for a “forensic analysis” of two cell phones. Investigators believe there may be text messages on the phones that will impact the case.

Bianco said despite the seriousness of the charges, parents should not fear for their children’s safety.

“Our schools are very safe,” she said. “Unfortunately, if someone wants to do something, sometimes all the security measures (won’t stop them).”

The high school on Porter Road has scores of video surveillance cameras inside but investigators have not said whether the attack may have been caught on tape.