Cops: Woman Lopped Off Jesus Statue's Head at LI Church

A Catholic parish on Long Island is dealing with a damaged religious icon after a late-night attack. Police in New York's Suffolk County say 41-year-old Deyonna Subert was arrested after the head of a Jesus statue at St. Mary's Church in Bay Shore was removed late on May 15, per NBC News. Subert, who NBC4 reports is unhoused, was charged with second-degree criminal mischief and taken into custody nearby early the next morning. Suffolk County detectives reviewed the case as a potential hate crime, though Subert's attorney said there are "no allegations" it meets that threshold and that she denies the charges.

The church's pastor, Father Anthony Iaconis, tells News 12 he discovered the statue's head in nearby bushes. The 12-year-old statue is now shrouded in a tarp, with parishioners leaving flowers at its base. In a Facebook post, the church thanked supporters and urged members to pray both for the congregation and for the person responsible. The statement added that if anyone wants to donate to help fix the statue, they can give money directly to the church. Police say the damage is around $1,500. Subert, meanwhile, had been scheduled to head to court on Thursday.