Accused rapist's family not new to news

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - We're learning more shocking revelations about a man accused in the repeated rape of an under-age girl held captive in a Buffalo home.

We've learned this investigation started in December when a 1-year-old baby boy was brought to Women and Children's Hospital with a burn on his hand. Police learned that at the time of the burn, a 13-year-old girl was watching the child. That led authorities to arrest Michael Abdallah.

This is a family whose problems have made the news more than once. Information is tough to obtain, but here is what we know.

26-year-old Michael Abdallah of Buffalo is being held on $250,000 bail. Buffalo Police say he had sex with a 13-year-old runaway girl for over a year, kept her locked in the house, and was in possession of marijuana when he was arrested last Friday.

Police are not commenting on the arrest, but one of Abdallah's friends, who didn't want to be identified, told Michele McClintick the charges don't add up.

"I know him personally and I can almost guarantee that he never forced her as a sex slave. There's probably a possibility that she needed a place to stay or she could have lied about her age. Things like that happen all the time, but he's not that kind of person. He wouldn't do something like that," said the friend.

Police say a 1-year-old boy was also at the house. It is believed to be Michael Abdallah's son, cared for, at times, by the runaway.

Michael Abdallah is believed to be the son of Salah Abdullah, the owner of the deli that caught fire, and where firefighters Lt. Charles Chip McCarthy and Donathan Croom lost their lives after becoming trapped.

Michael's brother Adel told News 4 he hasn't had contact with Michael for two years. The father has returned to Yemen.

Back in September of 2008, Michael's sister Etidall, 21, a college sophomore at the time, suddenly disappeared after going into a Lackawanna grocery store. She was the subject of searches and prayer vigils.

Only to surface five months later. She had been living with a relative's girlfriend in Buffalo, telling authorities she was ok. It is still unclear why she went into hiding.

Now 26-year-old Michael is in trouble, with no family members willing to step forward and discuss his case. An aunt of Michael's in Florida said the family doesn't know much. She told News 4, "he got himself into a situation" and that's all she said.