Crime Nearby: Child's Body Discovered

Farmingdale

The investigation into the death of a child who was buried in a shallow backyard grave in Farmingdale is expected to reveal new details as the week goes forward. Since the story broke last Friday night, State Police have issued no new information about the death of Justin Kowalczik, born in 2009 and who would have been about 3 now. The child was unaccounted for and his death had gone unreported for about a year and a half. State police dug through the backyard of a couple's home and discovered the remains of a young child in a shallow grave. State Police identified Robert Rodriguez, who lives in the home, as a "person of interest" in the case. Rodriguez is not the child's father. The child's mother, Heather Kowalczik and Rodriguez' girlfriend, had told police where they might find the remains of her son, said State Police Major Patrick Regan, commander of Troop L in Farmingdale.

West Hempstead

Four New York chiropractors were among 92 individuals charged nationally with falsely billing the Medicare and Medicaid programs for about $432 million, federal officials said Thursday. According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly met patients — many of whom were elderly and had physical and mental disabilities — that were residing in assisted-living facilities. They apparently did not treat the patients, but still submitted $6.4 million in fraudulent billings over a six-year period to Medicare, the indictment says. The chiropractors — Shimon Metz, 42, of West Hempstead; Melvin Cwibeker, 52 of Woodmere; Richard Hurwitz, 42, of Long Beach; and Mark Samuel, 52, of Mamaroneck — were indicted on charges of committing Medicare fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Hicksville

A man robbed the Peoples United Bank at 404 South Oyster Bay Road about 5:55 p.m. on Oct. 2. He is described as black, about 25-30 years old, approximately 5’ 9” tall, thin build, dark complexion, wearing a royal blue colored tracksuit, a black colored wool hat and aviator style sunglasses with silver colored frames. Detectives are requesting anyone with information regarding this crime to contact the Nassau Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All calls are confidential.

Syosset

A bus driver faces a battery of charges after police found he was drunk at the wheel of a bus that crashed into a Syosset home Wednesday, cops said. Frederick Flowers, 66 of Massapequa Park, while driving students home from St. Edward the Confessor School, drove the bus into a Teibrook Avenue home, police reported. Five children between the ages of five and nine were on the bus at the time. None were injured in the crash.

Lindenhurst

A Lindenhurst man was arrested after police say he provided alcoholic beverages to a group of high school students at his home in Lindenhurst last month. Police said James Bartolomeo allowed his 17-year-old daughter to invite approximately eight of her Lindenhurst High School classmates over to their house for a backyard gathering on Sept. 25. As the teenagers arrived, according to police, Bartolomeo placed a quantity of beer, Twisted Tea and Four Loko, all alcoholic beverages, in the backyard. Bartolomeo - the husband of Julie Bartolomeo, the former Lindenhurst Board of Education trustee who resigned abruptly at a BOE meeting on Wednesday night, following allegations about the party--was arrested Saturday.

Massapequa

A man who police said robbed a Dairy Barn in Bethpage was stopped on the Southern State Parkway in Massapequa where cops smelled alcohol on his breath and found a a crack pipe in his car. The robbery occurred Wednesday at 10:58 p.m. when Robert Dukich, 41, of Westbury, entered a Dairy Barn at 1 Collector Lane and allegedly demanded money from the cashier. He fled with an unknown amount of cash. A patrol car heard a radio report of the robbery and spotted Dukich, cops said. Dukich was charged with drriving while ability impaired, robbery and weapons possession.

Garden City

Two Freeport teens were arrested Wednesday in Garden City after a burglary spree at Adelphi University where both were attending an outside program on campus, Garden City detectives said. High school students Troy Pollidore, 18, and Melvin Abreu, 17, entered four separate dorm rooms on Sept. 19 and 24 and removed two laptop computers, an iPod Touch, a wallet containing an unknown amount of money and a cell phone, according to Garden City and Nassau County Third Squad detectives.