Melville Woman Threatens Child With Special Needs Over Web: PD

KINGSTON, NY — A Melville woman was arrested by New York State Police in Kingston, NY on Thursday after she repeatedly harassed a child with special needs via various social media sites and the U.S. Mail, police said. The arrest is the result of an ongoing investigation by the NYS Police and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Department into the harassment of the child, police said.

Krista M. Sewell, 26, was charged with second-degree aggravated harassment (a misdemeanor), third-degree stalking (misdemeanor) and second-degree hate crime/aggravated harassment (a felony).

The child, who suffers from Harlequin Ichthyosis, a severe genetic disorder that affects the skin, was specifically targeted by Sewell, police said. Between December 2018 and November 2019, Sewell posted numerous threatening messages to Facebook, Instagram and GoFundMe pages that had been set up by the child's family, police said. She also sent threatening letters to the child's home, police said.

Sewell was arraigned in the Town of Lloyd Court and was remanded to the Ulster County Jail. She is scheduled to appear back in court on Nov. 12.

Anyone who feels that they were a victim of a similar incident involving Sewell is asked to contact the New York State Police at Kingston and speak with Investigator Joseph Temple at 845-802-9296.