Child Rapist Apprehended In North Philadelphia: Authorities

PHILADELPHIA — A man accused of raping a child who authorities have been hunting for months was apprehended in Philadelphia over the weekend.

New Castle County Division of Police said Nehemiah Garcia, 21, of Cape Coral, Florida, was taken into custody Saturday in North Philadelphia.

New Castle Police were assisted by the FBI Baltimore Division’s Wilmington Resident Agency, FBI Philadelphia, U.S. Marshals Task Force, and the Philadelphia Police Department.

The investigation into Garcia began in June 2024, when officers from the New Castle County Division of Police responded to a report of a sexual assault involving a child under the age of 12.

According to the FBI, Garcia was involved in the rape of an 8-year-old victim.

On June 13, the victim was lured into the showers at the YMCA Handby Outdoor Center in Wilmington, Delaware, authorities said.

The victim was then held against their will and raped by a man who was later identified as Garcia, according to authorities.

Then, in late June 2024, Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Unit identified Garcia as the suspect and issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of first-degree rape.

Detectives with the New Castle County Division of Police and agents with the FBI Baltimore Division’s Wilmington Resident Agency launched an extensive search across the East Coast. After months of evasion, Garcia was finally located and arrested Saturday.

Following his apprehension, Garcia was transported to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Northeast Division, where he awaits extradition.

The investigation remains ongoing, and additional updates will be provided as they become available. If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Detective Adam Holubinka at adam.holubinka@newcastlede.gov or 302-395-8254.