The New York Police Department arrested a livery cab driver Tuesday after a 12-year-old passenger was allegedly raped by him at the backseat of the vehicle.

The incident happened at around 6 p.m. EDT Monday after the girl was picked up from near the Myrtle and Carlton avenues in Brooklyn and was allegedly sexually abused somewhere along the ride, NBC New York reported, citing the NYPD.

Authorities said Rafael Martinez, 32, parked his car at some point during the 3.5-mile drive to the destination, Ralph Avenue, entered the backseat of the vehicle and raped the victim. He then got back in the driver’s seat and dropped the girl off at her destination.

Martinez was charged with rape, criminal sex act, sex abuse, endangering the welfare of a child, menacing and assault. The girl was taken to Woodhull Hospital on Monday night, where police were informed around 8:45 p.m. EDT, according to WPIX.

The car was reportedly hired by the victim's parents from Evelyn Car Services, an independent cab company, which later fired Martinez from his job.

In May, a 6-year-old Pennsylvania girl had contracted a sexually transmitted disease after she was raped by a 38-year-old man. Daniel Prieto, her abuser, admitted to police he raped the girl multiple times and on one occasion forced her to perform oral sex on him. Her mother told police she had also contracted gonorrhea two months earlier due to having sexual contact with Prieto. The mother claimed the only sexual contact she had in years was with Prieto, who was declared a danger to the community by a District Judge.

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Representational image of a handcuff. Pixabay
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