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School Safety

Former Kean U Lax Player, School IT Worker Sextorted Girls Into Sending Nudes, Prosecutor Says Former Kean U Lax Player, School IT Worker Sextorted Girls Into Sending Nudes, Prosecutor Says
Former Kean U Lax Player, School IT Worker Sextorted Girls Into Sending Nudes, Prosecutor Says A 24-year-old South Jersey school's IT worker is accused of blackmailing girls he met online into sending him nude pictures, authorities said. Bryce Berger, who is from Delanco and works in Medford's public school system, was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 19, Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw said in a news release. The investigation began after the prosecutor's office received a tip about his online activities. Investigators said Berger used an app to ask for nude pictures from girls between 12 and 17 years old and received some. He then sextorted them, threatening …
Custodian's Body Found At South Jersey Charter School, Classes Canceled Custodian's Body Found At South Jersey Charter School, Classes Canceled
Custodian's Body Found At South Jersey Charter School, Classes Canceled A South Jersey charter school was closed Wednesday, Sept. 18 after a custodian was found dead as staff arrived, according to authorities. The body was that of a woman maintenance worker at the Mastery High School on Erie Street in Camden, Dan Keashen, a spokesman for Camden County, said on Thursday, Sept. 19 as school reopened. Her body was discovered in the hallway around 7 a.m., he said.  The woman's name and age have not been released pending an investigation by Camden County Police and toxicology reports, Keashen said. Her death is not considered suspicious, he said. Calls to the …
10-Year-Old Charged With Making Threats Against NJ District 10-Year-Old Charged With Making Threats Against NJ District
10-Year-Old Charged With Making Threats Against NJ District A 10-year-old child is facing charges after posting a social media video that authorities said posed a threat to a school in Gloucester County. Police were made aware of the video on Wednesday, Sept. 18, that they said threatened a school in Franklin Township. Police "deployed all resources" to ensure the safety of the students, according to a release from the FTPD. All buildings were secured within minutes, and detectives identified the source of the video in ten minutes, police said. The 10-year-old student in the district from Franklinville was removed from the building and brought to p…
South Jersey Dad Indicted For Trying To 'Knock Out' Daughter's Paulsboro HS Peer: Court South Jersey Dad Indicted For Trying To 'Knock Out' Daughter's Paulsboro HS Peer: Court
South Jersey Dad Indicted For Trying To 'Knock Out' Daughter's Paulsboro HS Peer: Court A South Jersey dad has been indicted by a Gloucester County grand jury for threatening to "knock out" his daughter's peer and grabbing the arm of another student in an apparent attempt to defend her in a high school classroom, court records show. Aaron Thomas, 39, of Gibbstown, went into a Paulsboro High School classroom on Monday, March 11 while signing his daughter out around 11:30 a.m., an affidavit of probable cause previously obtained by Daily Voice says. Thomas was indicted on two charges of third-degree terroristc threats Sept. 4, according to court records obtained Wednesday, Sept. …
Officer Will Be In Every Atlantic City School: Should All NJ Districts Have This? (POLL) Officer Will Be In Every Atlantic City School: Should All NJ Districts Have This? (POLL)
Officer Will Be In Every Atlantic City School: Should All NJ Districts Have This? (Poll) Atlantic City has a police officer assigned to each school in its district, officials said. The city's government, police department, and school district agreed to put an officer in each K-8 school and two officers in Atlantic City High School throughout the 2024-25 academic year, the city said in a news release. The new officers were funded through a $3.75 million grant in the COPS Hiring Program. The school resource officers were assigned to their new schools on Tuesday, Sept. 10. "This is something city leaders discussed in the past, but none were able to get the job done until now," sa…
3 Juveniles Tracked To Social Media Threats That Closed Deptford, Woodbury Schools, Cops Say 3 Juveniles Tracked To Social Media Threats That Closed Deptford, Woodbury Schools, Cops Say
3 Juveniles Tracked To Social Media Threats That Closed Deptford, Woodbury Schools, Cops Say Three juveniles from Gloucester County were in custody on Monday, Sept. 9 in connection with social media threats made against "numerous" South Jersey schools, authorities said. Schools in Deptford and Woodbury were closed on Monday, Sept. 9 due to the threats, which turned out to be unfounded. "A multi-jurisdictional investigation was immediately conducted and, as a result, all subjects responsible were identified and taken into custody, including one juvenile from Woodbury, one juvenile from Glassboro, and a 15-year-old juvenile from Mullica Hill," Harrison Township police said on Faceboo…
Moldy Classrooms Shut Down Elementary School In Central Jersey Temporarily Moldy Classrooms Shut Down Elementary School In Central Jersey Temporarily
Moldy Classrooms Shut Down Elementary School In Central Jersey Temporarily An elementary school in Freehold will have to start classes for the year in different buildings after mold was found in some classrooms, officials said. Students at Laura Donovan Elementary School will be relocated to other district schools when classes begin on Thursday, Sept. 5. Freehold Township superintendent Neal Dickstein sent a letter to families about the start-of-school plans on Wednesday, Aug. 28. Crews have been working "seven days per week" to remove the mold but the cleanup process has taken longer than expected. "Engineers are on-site to help determine the caus…
Threatening Bathroom Graffiti Temporarily Closes Private Englewood School (UPDATE) Threatening Bathroom Graffiti Temporarily Closes Private Englewood School (UPDATE)
Threatening Bathroom Graffiti Temporarily Closes Private Englewood School (Update) 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Police were reviewing security video to determine who's responsible for a threat specifically mentioning Blacks and Hispanics that was found scrawled on a bathroom wall at Dwight-Englewood School. The K-12 school was closed on Wednesday, April 24, following the discovery earlier in the week of a message that investigators said threatens to "get even." The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office was alerted and police in Englewood are working the case, assisted by the county sheriff's forensics team, which collected evidence. "There's concern right now considering what just recently trans…
NJ Teacher Accused Of Touching Student In Hallway Slapped With Disorderly Persons Offense NJ Teacher Accused Of Touching Student In Hallway Slapped With Disorderly Persons Offense
NJ Teacher Accused Of Touching Student In Hallway Slapped With Disorderly Persons Offense A Marlboro middle school teacher accused by a parent of assaulting a student in the hallway has been slapped with a disorderly persons offense. On Friday, April 19, Jenna Sciabica, 38, was charged with one count of harassment-offensive touching, which is considered a petty disorderly persons offense, in connection with a March 13 incident, Marlboro police and online records say. Teacher Jenna Sciabica charged after inappropriate touching claim https://t.co/oR03iOdUtf — Avi Lehrer (@lehrer_avi) April 21, 2024 The incident involved "offensive touching over the clothes" in the hallway of …
Schools Shelter In Place Amid Investigation Into Possibly Armed NJ Student: Cops Schools Shelter In Place Amid Investigation Into Possibly Armed NJ Student: Cops
Schools Shelter In Place Amid Investigation Into Possibly Armed NJ Student: Cops An investigation into a student who was believed to have been armed with a gun had some schools sheltering in place Friday, March 22, police said. The investigation began around 12:10 p.m., when officers were called to investigate a student "acting suspiciously" at a school in Perth Amboy, local police said. The student was believed to have been headed toward another school looking for another student, police said. The student was taken into custody and was found to not have been armed, police said. The shelter in place was lifted later in the day. The investigation is ongoing.
Deer Causes Scare At Central Jersey School After Hitting Glass Door Deer Causes Scare At Central Jersey School After Hitting Glass Door
Deer Causes Scare At Central Jersey School After Hitting Glass Door A shelter-in-place order at a Monmouth County elementary school turned into much a-doe about nothing. Howell Township police said a deer rammed into a glass door at the Griebling School on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The police department shared a picture on Facebook of the damage done to a glass door at the elementary school on Havens Bridge Road. The picture showed cracks in the glass that looked like a "spider web." Griebling School had a "shelter in place" today. All was well... a deer rammed a glass door causing it to spider... Posted by Howell Township Police Department on …
Police Investigate Threats Against South Jersey High School Police Investigate Threats Against South Jersey High School
Police Investigate Threats Against South Jersey High School Police in Cumberland County seek the public’s help in identifying those responsible for social media threats against Vineland High School. The Vineland Police Department said it increased its presence at local schools Tuesday, Feb. 13 as it investigates current school threats posted on social media recently. Police are investigating the validity and source of the threats, they said.  Officials urged anyone with information to call 856-691-4111, ext. 4190, or email vpdjuvenile@vinelandcity.org. 
Firefighters Douse Fire At Lawrenceville School Faculty Residence Firefighters Douse Fire At Lawrenceville School Faculty Residence
Firefighters Douse Fire At Lawrenceville School Faculty Residence There was a fire at the faculty residence of The Lawrenceville School, a boarding and day school, on Monday, Jan. 22, authorities said. The fire broke out at about 11:50 a.m. on Humphrey Drive, Lawrenceville police said. Members of the Lawrence Township Fire Department were assisted by area fire departments from Hamilton Township, City of Trenton, Ewing Township, Princeton Township, Robbinsville Township and Plainsboro Township. The fire was placed under control at about 2 p.m., police said. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Lawrence Township Police Depart…
School Police Officer Struck By Car While Directing Traffic Near Cherry Hill HS East School Police Officer Struck By Car While Directing Traffic Near Cherry Hill HS East
School Police Officer Struck By Car While Directing Traffic Near Cherry Hill HS East A Cherry Hill High School East campus police officer was hit by a car while directing traffic on Friday, Jan. 12, a school district spokeswoman said. The crash occurred at about 7:15 a.m. in the 1700 block of Kresson Road, 6abc reported. A photo from the scene shows the front windshield of a Hyundai sedan heavily damaged.  The resource officer was apparently seriously injured, 6abc says. The officer was transported to the hospital by ambulance, said Barbara Wilson, a spokeswoman for Cherry Hill Public Schools. Wilson said other details would have to come from Cherry Hill police who w…
Career North Jersey Law Enforcer Patents Safety Device To Better Protect Kids In School Career North Jersey Law Enforcer Patents Safety Device To Better Protect Kids In School
Career North Jersey Law Enforcer Patents Safety Device To Better Protect Kids In School As challenges to school safety grow, so do the ideas to address them. Career law enforcer Robert Licamara has produced one that he hopes will make schools in North Jersey and beyond safer. The father of two from Wayne -- who became director of security for Fair Lawn's schools after more than two distinguished decades of police work -- has developed an electronically locked dropbox to replace open plastic bins that are often left in front of schools for parents and others to bring by students' items. Licamara, who spent much of his law enforcement career as an undercover detective, retired …
Police Papers Detail Heinous Accusations Against NJ School Janitor, Parents Livid Police Papers Detail Heinous Accusations Against NJ School Janitor, Parents Livid
Police Papers Detail Heinous Accusations Against NJ School Janitor, Parents Livid Police papers details the foul accusations being made against a New Jersey school janitor. Giovanni Impellizzeri, 25, of Vineland, is facing a slew of charges for contaminating elementary school food and utensils with his own bodily fluids, and bleach, previously reported by Daily Voice. The highly disturbing acts appear to have been leaked in Reddit sub /SouthJersey early in the week. ** WARNING: Information contained in the Reddit sub and below in this Daily Voice news report is extremely graphic and disturbing ** The details shared on Reddit appear to have been lifted form police p…
NJ High School Football Coach Told Juvenile To Lie After Finding Firearm In Car: Cops NJ High School Football Coach Told Juvenile To Lie After Finding Firearm In Car: Cops
NJ High School Football Coach Told Juvenile To Lie After Finding Firearm In Car: Cops A Rancocas Valley Regional High School assistant football coach who is also a teacher’s aide faces firearms charges after juveniles accessed an unsecured handgun in his personal vehicle during a football game at the school, authorities said. Andrew Paden, 40, of Willingboro, pressured one of the juveniles to provide false information to investigators, saying he was concerned he might lose his job, according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw and Mount Holly Township Police Chief Richard W. Spitler. Paden was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree), …
Social Media Stoked Fear Over Misinterpreted Blackboard Message, Cresskill Schools Chief Says Social Media Stoked Fear Over Misinterpreted Blackboard Message, Cresskill Schools Chief Says
Social Media Stoked Fear Over Misinterpreted Blackboard Message, Cresskill Schools Chief Says UPDATE: Translators from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who are fluent in Arabic found that a message written by a student to her brother on a classroom blackboard at Cresskill High School was misinterpreted and harmless, officials said. "The writing contained no threat or criminal intent," and an alleged translation that circulated via social media was "inaccurate and misinterpreted," Cresskill Schools Supt. Dr. Peter Hughes said in a letter to the community. Hughes didn't share what the message actually said. However, a source with direct knowledge of the incident told Daily Vo…
South Jersey Teacher Charged With Sexually Touching Multiple Students: Prosecutor South Jersey Teacher Charged With Sexually Touching Multiple Students: Prosecutor
South Jersey Teacher Charged With Sexually Touching Multiple Students: Prosecutor A special education teacher at an elementary school in Burlington County has been charged with sexually touching seven students, authorities said. Vincent Root, 58, of Philadelphia, was charged with seven counts of sexual assault and seven counts of child endangerment at Chatsworth Elementary School, according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw Root was taken into custody Thursday, Oct. 12 at the Prosecutor’s Office in Mount Holly and held in Burlington County Jail pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.  District officials said Root has been placed on admi…
12th-Grader's Allegedly Hateful Blackboard Message Draws Attention Of NJ Law Enforcement 12th-Grader's Allegedly Hateful Blackboard Message Draws Attention Of NJ Law Enforcement
12th-Grader's Allegedly Hateful Blackboard Message Draws Attention Of NJ Law Enforcement UPDATE: Translators from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who are fluent in Arabic found that a message written by a student to her brother on a classroom blackboard at Cresskill High School was misinterpreted and harmless, officials said. "The writing contained no threat or criminal intent," and an alleged translation that circulated via social media was "inaccurate and misinterpreted," Cresskill Schools Supt. Dr. Peter Hughes said in a letter to the community. Hughes didn't share what the message actually said. However, a source with direct knowledge of the incident told Daily Vo…
Exposure To Rat Poison Sends Glen Rock HS Student, Staffers, Police Officer, EMTs To Hospital Exposure To Rat Poison Sends Glen Rock HS Student, Staffers, Police Officer, EMTs To Hospital
Exposure To Rat Poison Sends Glen Rock HS Student, Staffers, Police Officer, EMTs To Hospital A Glen Rock High School student, five school staffers, a police officer and two EMTs were all hospitalized following exposure to a rat poison that the youngster brought in on Monday, authorities said. The student had a reaction to the rodenticide known as Thallium, Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said. All nine people taken to The Valley Hospital and Hackensack University Medical Center on Oct. 2 -- including the student -- were medically cleared, the chief said. "As of this time none are exhibiting any signs of an adverse reaction," Ackermann said late Monday afternoon. A Glen …
Misaddressed Bomb Threat Over Transgender Canadian Teacher Brings Tactical Teams To Glen Rock Misaddressed Bomb Threat Over Transgender Canadian Teacher Brings Tactical Teams To Glen Rock
Misaddressed Bomb Threat Over Transgender Canadian Teacher Brings Tactical Teams To Glen Rock A misdirected bomb threat intended for a school more than 600 miles away brought the bomb squad, K-9 unit and SWAT team to Glen Rock on Tuesday. A Central School in Hamilton, Ontario, apparently was the intended target of an email directed to the school of the same name in Glen Rock, borough Police Chief Dean Ackermann said on Sept. 26. No fewer than six schools in the Hamilton-Wentworth district in Ontario reported receiving an unrelenting string of threats that began late last week. Their Central School wasn’t one of them, however. Not taking any chances, the Glen Rock police chief sum…
WATCH: Park Ridge Special Officer Snatches Child Before She's Pinned By Moving Car (Video) WATCH: Park Ridge Special Officer Snatches Child Before She's Pinned By Moving Car (Video)
Watch: Park Ridge Special Officer Snatches Child Before She's Pinned By Moving Car (Video) It happened in a blink. A young Park Ridge schoolgirl had just emerged from an SUV and was behind the vehicle as the driver put it into reverse. Fortunately, the child had a guardian angel -- Mike Stallone, a special law enforcement officer with the Park Ridge Police Department who'd just been assigned to West Ridge Elementary School. Stallone rushed forward and scooped up the youngster before she could be crushed between two vehicles, Capt. Joseph Rampolla said. A surveillance camera captured the moment (click below). Police and school districts have been working together to assign…
NJ Marching Band Director Accused Of Sexual Relationship With Student: Prosecutor NJ Marching Band Director Accused Of Sexual Relationship With Student: Prosecutor
NJ Marching Band Director Accused Of Sexual Relationship With Student: Prosecutor A Riverside High School teacher’s aide and marching band director has been charged with having a sexual relationship with a male student, authorities said. Michelle Jacoby, 27, of Riverside, was charged with aggravated sexual assault and child endangerment, according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw. She was taken into custody Tuesday May 2 and released Wednesday May 3 after an appearance in Superior Court, Bradshaw said. The investigation began Tuesday after the BCPO Special Victims Unit received information that the student had disclosed the relationship to a teach…
Year After Student's Suicide, Elite NJ Boarding School Admits 'Falling Tragically Short' Year After Student's Suicide, Elite NJ Boarding School Admits 'Falling Tragically Short'
Year After Student's Suicide, Elite NJ Boarding School Admits 'Falling Tragically Short' On the anniversary of one of its beloved student's suicide, a prestigious boarding school in South Jersey is taking responsibility for what it could've done to help prevent his death. Jack Reid, 17, was a victim of bullying and other forms of cruel behavior at the Lawrenceville School over the course of a year, including in the form of false rumors in person and online, school officials said. On April 30, 2022, he died by suicide. In a statement Sunday, April 30, 2023 the Lawrenceville School said it had reached an agreement with  William and Elizabeth Reid, parents of Jack Reid, noti…
Hackensack Mom Tricks Way Into Bogota School, Pulls Fire Alarm, Flees: Authorities Hackensack Mom Tricks Way Into Bogota School, Pulls Fire Alarm, Flees: Authorities
Hackensack Mom Tricks Way Into Bogota School, Pulls Fire Alarm, Flees: Authorities A Hackensack mom was arrested after she entered a Bogota school, pulled a fire alarm and ran down the street, authorities said. Marcela Gonzalez, 36, was seized her near the Lillian M. Steen Elementary School on West Main Street shortly after 2:30 p.m. last Wednesday, March 1, Police Sgt. Geoffrey Cole said. Gonzalez apparently “rang the doorbell for the school stating she wanted to pick her child up,” Cole said. Then she pulled the fire alarm at the entrance and ran, he said. Officers Lewis Duenãs and Officer Michael Torres quickly placed Gonzalez into custody, Cole said. She was charge…
Active Shooter Alert Unfounded In South Jersey Active Shooter Alert Unfounded In South Jersey
Active Shooter Alert Unfounded In South Jersey Police in South Jersey said a report of an active shooter at a high school turned out to be false. Lower Township Police, along with other agencies, responded to Lower Cape May Regional High School for the report of an active shooter.  "It was very quickly determined that the call was unfounded and there was no threat and the school returned to regularly scheduled classes and activities," Lower Township police said.
Art Teacher ODs In Front Of NJ Students: Police Art Teacher ODs In Front Of NJ Students: Police
Art Teacher ODs In Front Of NJ Students: Police A 57-year-old art teacher was charged with drug-related crimes after authorities in Union County said he overdosed in a classroom. Frank Thompson was found unresponsive on the floor of a second-floor classroom at Roosevelt Intermediate School around 9:05 a.m. Nov. 29, 2022, Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro said. Thompson was actively being treated by a school nurse when officers arrived, identifying signs of a drug overdose, Battiloro said. Officer Riga deployed and administered Narcan, reviving Thompson, who was later found with drugs and varioius paraphernalia…
Cause Of Fire At Elementary School In South Jersey Under Investigation Cause Of Fire At Elementary School In South Jersey Under Investigation
Cause Of Fire At Elementary School In South Jersey Under Investigation The cause of a fire at an elementary school in Mount Laurel is unknown and remains under investigation, school district officials said Thursday afternoon, Dec. 22 Firefighters and police responded to a fire in a music and artroom before the start of school Thursday at Parkway Elementary School on Ramblewood Parkway, according to Mount Laurel police. Daycare staff and students were in the building but were evacuated safely, school officials said. Students arriving at the school remained outside the building. There were no injuries. The fire was quickly brought under control, polic…
Pedestrian Struck By Car Outside South Jersey School Pedestrian Struck By Car Outside South Jersey School
Pedestrian Struck By Car Outside South Jersey School DeMasi Middle School in Evesham was placed into a shelter-in-place due to a pedestrian crash, authorities said. The car-pedestrian crash took place before 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, near the school, Evesham police said. The school was used as a safe landing zone location to medevac airlift the victim to Cooper Hospital for treatment. An unconfirmed report said the pedestrian was a child. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES
Clear Backpacks Required At This NJ School District Clear Backpacks Required At This NJ School District
Clear Backpacks Required At This NJ School District As an extra safety precaution, clear backpacks are being distributed free in a Central Jersey school district.  "We will be implementing the mandatory use of clear backpacks starting this upcoming school year for all of our schools," South River Public Schools Superintendent Sylvia Zircher wrote in a letter to parents. South River's high school has required clear backpacks since 2019-20. "The use of clear backpacks is just an 'extra' measure in keeping prohibited items from entering our schools," her letter said. Two exceptions are: Small handbags for personal items …