Tag:

Child Welfare

Family Feared Him Missing — He Was Arrested In Undercover Child Sex Sting At NJ Hotel, AG Says Family Feared Him Missing — He Was Arrested In Undercover Child Sex Sting At NJ Hotel, AG Says
Family Feared Him Missing — He Was Arrested In Undercover Child Sex Sting At NJ Hotel, AG Says All Bruce Drelich's family knew on Friday, May 2 was that he'd gone to New Jersey to meet an "online acquaintance" before he disappeared, according to a missing person's post on social media. And then, they learned why. The Philadelphia resident is facing multiple charges, including human trafficking, after authorities say he tried to meet a 12-year-old girl in a Bordentown, NJ hotel for sex. That girl was actually an undercover agent, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said on Tuesday, June 10. So, on May 2, when Drehlich arrived at the hotel, he was taken into custody by authori…
Morris Knolls Teacher, 35, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Student She Tutored: Prosecutor Morris Knolls Teacher, 35, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Student She Tutored: Prosecutor
Morris Knolls Teacher Alyssa Perry Arrested A 35-year-old Morris County high school teacher has been arrested on accusations she sexually assaulted a 17-year-old child she'd been tutoring, officials said. Alyssa Perry, of Rockaway Township, a teacher at Morris Knolls High School, became the center of an investigation when school administrators reported her inappropriate behavior to Denville police in March, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll said. Perry, who is suspended from the school, was charged on Friday, June 6, with two counts of sexual assault and  endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said. At Morri…
Teacher, Coach Lured Underage NJ Girls On Snapchat, Shared Child Porn, DA Says Teacher, Coach Lured Underage NJ Girls On Snapchat, Shared Child Porn, DA Says
Teacher, Coach Lured Underage NJ Girls On Snapchat, Shared Child Porn, DA Says Charging documents reveal chilling new details in the case of a former Long Island teacher accused of soliciting nude photos from underage girls. Ryan McCaffery, 37, of Ridge, was indicted for promoting a sexual performance by a child and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, June 4. A New York State Police investigation found that McCaffery – a former Riverhead High School teacher and coach – posed as a teenage boy in order to chat with numerous underage girls on Snapchat, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office. He sent images of his exposed genitals and requested nu…
Parents Left Young Kids Home Alone So They Could Drink In NJ Beach Town: Cops Parents Left Young Kids Home Alone So They Could Drink In NJ Beach Town: Cops
Parents Left Young Kids Home Alone So They Could Drink In NJ Beach Town: Cops Two New Jersey parents were arrested and charged after they left their kids- including a 1-year-old- home alone in a beach town over Memorial Day Weekend, authorities said. Felix Rodriguez, 43 and Lydia Monterrosa, 38, of Jersey City, left two children, ages 8 and 1, at a home in Brigantine on Sunday, May 25, Brigantine police said. At 8:45 p.m., police were flagged down and alerted to the two children in the home on the 4900 block of Harbor Beach Boulevard, officers said. Officers found the children and called the parents, learning they were not at home nor were they nearby, police said. …
NJ Man Guilty Of Using Messenger Service To Meet Kids For Sex: Morris County Prosecutor NJ Man Guilty Of Using Messenger Service To Meet Kids For Sex: Morris County Prosecutor
NJ Man Guilty Of Using Messenger Service To Meet Kids For Sex: Morris County Prosecutor A 42-year-old Clifton man was convicted on Friday, May 23, after he used a messenger service to make plans to meet children for sex in Morris County, authorities said.  Brian Stewart was convicted of three counts of luring, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, attempted endangering the welfare of a child and four counts of attempted aggravated sexual assault following a three-day trial, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Boonton Township Chief of Police Thomas Cacciabeve said. In March 2024, Brian Stewart engaged…
NJ Man Shot Daughter While Cleaning Gun: Prosecutor NJ Man Shot Daughter While Cleaning Gun: Prosecutor
NJ Man Shot Daughter While Cleaning Gun: Prosecutor A 47-year-old Stafford Township man was arrested and charged after he shot his daughter while cleaning his gun on Saturday, May 24, authorities said. At 2 p.m., Stafford Township police responded to a Southern Ocean Medical Center in response to a 911 call about a 13-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to the right side of her torso, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. An investigation determined Edgar Baerga was cleaning his firearm at his residence when the gun went off, striking his daughter, Billhimer said. Baerga drove his daughter to the hospital before calling police, Bill…
‘He Wanted A Boy’: Husband Who Murdered Pregnant Wife, Attacked 2 Daughters In NY Gets Decades ‘He Wanted A Boy’: Husband Who Murdered Pregnant Wife, Attacked 2 Daughters In NY Gets Decades
‘He Wanted A Boy’: Husband Who Murdered Pregnant Wife, Attacked 2 Daughters In NY Gets Decades A New York man who admitted to brutally stabbing his pregnant wife to death and severely injuring their two young daughters will spend the next three decades behind bars. Drew Garnier, 33, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in Delaware County Court on Tuesday, May 13, for the death of his 29-year-old wife Samantha. The September 4, 2024, attack occurred inside the family’s home on Houck Road in Masonville. Garnier repeatedly stabbed Samantha and the children, according to prosecutors. Samantha died while the two young girls, though gravely injured, survived the attack. While reading his …
Kindergartener Hands Out Alcohol In Jell-O At PA School: Superintendent Kindergartener Hands Out Alcohol In Jell-O At PA School: Superintendent
Kindergartener Hands Out Alcohol In Jell-O At PA School: Superintendent A Pennsylvania kindergartener handed out alcoholic Jell-O cups to classmates at school, alarming parents and prompting a hospital visit, school officials said. The incident happened at Johnstown Elementary School in Cambria County earlier on Wednesday, May 14, according to a statement from Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Dr. Amy Arcurio. Three students reportedly ingested alcohol from the Jell-O shots before staff intervened. All affected children were evaluated by the school nurse and then taken by EMS to a local hospital for further treatment. Parents met their children t…
Morristown Man Who Raped Child Learns Fate: Prosecutor Morristown Man Who Raped Child Learns Fate: Prosecutor
Morristown Man Who Raped Child Learns Fate: Prosecutor A 45-year-old Morristown man was sentenced to 46 years in prison last week after previously being convicted of sexually assaulting a child, authorities said. Alexander MasariegoFlores was convicted last December of three counts of aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second degree sexual assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert  McNally, and Morristown Chief of Police Darnell Richardson said. Between February and September 2023, MasariegoFlores sexually assaulted an 8-year-o…
NJ's Foster Care System Ranked No. 2 In US, New Study Says: Here's Why NJ's Foster Care System Ranked No. 2 In US, New Study Says: Here's Why
NJ's Foster Care System Ranked No. 2 In US, New Study Says: Here's Why Northeast and mid-Atlantic states showed wide disparities in foster care quality, with some ranking among the nation's best and others falling behind, according to a new study. SmileHub released its 2025 list of States With the Best Foster Care Systems on Tuesday, April 29. The study analyzed every state using 19 key foster care metrics, from adoption timelines and high school graduation rates to monthly stipends. The ranking used a weighted scoring system across three categories: foster youth baselines, community environment and support systems, and legal support. …
New Mugshot: 5-Year-Old Girl Dies, NJ Woman Charged, Prosecutor Says New Mugshot: 5-Year-Old Girl Dies, NJ Woman Charged, Prosecutor Says
New Mugshot: 5-Year-Old Girl Dies, NJ Woman Charged, Prosecutor Says A 5-year-old girl was found unresponsive in a New Jersey home and later died at the hospital, prompting felony charges against a township woman, authorities said. Raphaelle Register, 36, was arrested Monday, April 28, and charged with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, according to Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey and Robbinsville Police Chief William G. Swanhart. Police responded to a Robbinsville home on the evening of Sunday, April 27, after receiving a report of an unresponsive five-year-old girl, authorities said. The child was taken to Robert W…
Dad Murders Mom Before Plummeting To Death From Hudson Valley Bridge, Orphaning 2 Kids: Cops Dad Murders Mom Before Plummeting To Death From Hudson Valley Bridge, Orphaning 2 Kids: Cops
Dad Murders Mom Before Plummeting To Death From Hudson Valley Bridge, Orphaning 2 Kids: Cops A Hudson Valley father murdered his wife before jumping to his death from a bridge, orphaning their two toddlers, police said. Emergency crews in Ulster County were called to the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge for a report of a jumper at around noon Wednesday, April 23. A short time later, investigators located the body of Caleb Smith, 45, of Kingston. When officers went to his Fair Street residence to notify his family, they found his wife, 37-year-old Kaleigh Smith, dead from stab wounds, police said. Detectives concluded that Smith stabbed his wife to death before taking his own life, po…
NJ Special Ed Teacher Indicted For Having Sex With Student: Prosecutor NJ Special Ed Teacher Indicted For Having Sex With Student: Prosecutor
NJ Special Ed Teacher Indicted For Having Sex With Student: Prosecutor A special education teacher in Monmouth County has been been indicted by a grand jury for sexually assaulting a student, authorities announced on Tuesday, March 25. Allison Havemann-Niedrach, a 44-year-old Jackson resident is charged with aggravated sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child via the manufacture of child sexual abuse materials and official misconduct among other charges, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said.  Havemann-Niedrach, formerly a special education teacher at Freehold Intermediate School, had a sexual relationship with a student in early 2024…
Trapped For 20 Years: Police Detail Life Of Man Held Captive By Stepmom Trapped For 20 Years: Police Detail Life Of Man Held Captive By Stepmom
Trapped For 20 Years: Police Detail Life Of Man Held Captive By Stepmom The numbers are chilling.  A 32-year-old man, standing five feet nine inches tall and weighing just 68 pounds, was forced to live in an 8-by-9-foot room for 20 years.  All because his 56-year-old stepmother said so, Waterbury police said. Kimberly Sullivan was arrested this week and charged with first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons, and first-degree reckless endangerment, police said. She was released from jail on Thursday after posting a $300,000 bond. Original Report: Waterbury Woman Held Stepson Captive For 20 Y…
Connecticut Woman Held Stepson Captive For 2 Decades In 'Horrific' Conditions: Police Connecticut Woman Held Stepson Captive For 2 Decades In 'Horrific' Conditions: Police
Connecticut Woman Held Stepson Captive For 2 Decades In 'Horrific' Conditions: Police A Connecticut woman has been arrested after police say she held her stepson captive for over two decades, subjecting him to extreme neglect and abuse before he allegedly set fire to their home in a desperate bid for freedom. Kimberly Sullivan, 56, of Waterbury, was arrested on Wednesday, March 12, and charged with multiple felonies, including first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons, and first-degree reckless endangerment, police said.  New Report: Stepmom Accused Of Holding Man Hostage Posts Bond; Police Detail Victim's Lif…
Dad Charged With Homicide In Death Of Emaciated Son, 4, At NJ Hotel: Prosecutor Dad Charged With Homicide In Death Of Emaciated Son, 4, At NJ Hotel: Prosecutor
Dad Charged With Homicide In Death Of Emaciated Son, 4, At NJ Hotel: Prosecutor A New Jersey father has been charged with murder in the death of his 4-year-old son, who was found emaciated and covered in injuries inside a Franklin Township hotel, authorities said. Sean Tate, 36, of Woodbridge, was arrested on Tuesday, Feb. 18, and charged with first-degree murder and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, Somerset County First Assistant Prosecutor Annemarie L. Mueller announced. Franklin Township Police responded to a hotel in Franklin Township on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, at 3:24 p.m. for a report of an unresponsive child, Mueller said. Tate told officers that…
NJ Man Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Toddler, Faces Life In Prison NJ Man Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Toddler, Faces Life In Prison
NJ Man Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Toddler, Faces Life In Prison A Cumberland County jury has found a 53-year-old man guilty on multiple charges for sexually abusing a 2-year-old child, prosecutors announced Wednesday, Feb. 19. Jorge Deleon Diaz, a former Vineland resident, was convicted on four counts following a trial that began with jury selection on Feb. 4, 2025, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said. Prosecutors presented eyewitness testimony, DNA evidence, and statements made by Diaz to prove he sexually assaulted the victim on July 25, 2023. The jury returned a guilty verdict on the following charges: First-Degree Aggravated Sex…
NJ Pair Charged In Death Of 2-Year-Old: Cops NJ Pair Charged In Death Of 2-Year-Old: Cops
NJ Pair Charged In Death Of 2-Year-Old: Cops A New Jersey woman and man have been arrested in connection with the death of a 2-year-old child found unresponsive in a home last summer, police said. Woodbury officers responded to a residence on the 400 block of Deptford Avenue on June 3, 2024, for reports of an unresponsive toddler, according to the Woodbury Police Department. Officers attempted life-saving measures before the child was transported to Cooper Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. Authorities launched a joint investigation with the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, gathering evidence over several month…
NJ Kiosk Worker Who Raped Teen In Janitor's Closet Approaches Undercover Cop Days Later: Police NJ Kiosk Worker Who Raped Teen In Janitor's Closet Approaches Undercover Cop Days Later: Police
NJ Kiosk Worker Who Raped Teen In Janitor's Closet Approaches Undercover Cop Days Later: Police Disturbing new details have been released in the sexual assault of a teenage girl at the Willowbrook Mall earlier this month. As previously reported by Daily Voice, 23-year-old ex-con Denys Ludisaca, of Little Ferry, was charged with abducting and sexually assaulting a girl between ages 13 and 15 at the mall on Jan. 11. The affidavit for probable cause says the victim frequents the Wayne mall and was planning to meet up with friends that day.  ** WARNING: The following news report contains graphic and disturbing information. Reader discretion is advised. ** While exiting one of the m…
Creep Sexually Assaults Child In Bergen County Months After Trying To Lure 11-Year-Old: Cops Creep Sexually Assaults Child In Bergen County Months After Trying To Lure 11-Year-Old: Cops
Creep Sexually Assaults Child In Bergen County Months After Trying To Lure 11-Year-Old: Cops A 29-year-old North Bergen man who last year was charged with trying to lure a young girl was arrested for sexually assaulting a child in River Vale, and then trying to do it again days later, authorities said. Guy McCann II was arrested in West New York after police said he tried luring a girl an 11-year-old girl into his car at 61st Street and Kennedy Boulevard on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, as previously reported by Daily Voice. The child was not harmed during the incident, police said. McCann was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and attempting to lure or ent…
Charges Filed In Allentown Shooting Prompting Town-Wide Shelter In Place Charges Filed In Allentown Shooting Prompting Town-Wide Shelter In Place
Charges Filed In Allentown Shooting Prompting Town-Wide Shelter In Place A 52-year-old New Jersey man has been charged in connection with a shooting that left a woman injured prompting a town-wide shelter-in-place on Tuesday, Dec. 31,2024, authorities said. Daniel Williams, of Allentown, is facing charges of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and multiple weapons offenses, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said. The endangering charge stems from a child being present in the home at the time of the shooting, authorities said. The incident occurred at approximately 12:51 p.m., bringing officers from t…
Forgotten On The Bus: 4-Year-Old Girl Never Made It To School, NJ Mom Demands Answers Forgotten On The Bus: 4-Year-Old Girl Never Made It To School, NJ Mom Demands Answers
Forgotten On The Bus: 4-Year-Old Girl Never Made It To School, NJ Mom Demands Answers A 4-year-old New Jersey girl was left on a school bus for nearly six hours in what her mother is calling a traumatic and preventable incident. Darielle Lugo said her daughter, Makani, was supposed to arrive at the Bargaintown Preschool in Egg Harbor Township around 9:25 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, after being put on the bus by her father.  But Makani never made it to class. The ordeal came to light when Darielle’s husband arrived at the school around 2:05 p.m. for a class party. After signing in with security, he discovered Makani had been marked absent. “I thought it was a joke…
Teacher's Aide Taped Boy To Desk For 50 Minutes, Teacher Did Nothing In Passaic County: Cops Teacher's Aide Taped Boy To Desk For 50 Minutes, Teacher Did Nothing In Passaic County: Cops
Teacher's Aide Taped Boy To Desk For 50 Minutes, Teacher Did Nothing In Passaic County: Cops A teacher and a teacher's aide are facing charges in Passaic County for taping a child to a desk for nearly one hour, authorities said. Todd Lewis, 57, of Wayne, a teacher's aide placed masking tape around the back of the 9-year-old boy's neck and secured it to the desk, where the child remained for approximately 40 to 50 minutes, while Sallyann Scala, 67, of Pompton Lakes, continued teaching at Lenox Elementary School on Oct. 31, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. Scala reportedly failed to intervene, according to the child’s statement. On Dec. 11, 2024, based…
Morristown Man Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Child: Morris County Prosecutor Morristown Man Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Child: Morris County Prosecutor
Morristown Man Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Child: Morris County Prosecutor A 45-year-old Morristown man was convicted of sexually assaulting a child on Friday, Dec. 6, following a three-day trial, authorities said.  Alexander Masariego-Flores sexually assaulted the child multiple times between February and September 2023, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Morristown Police Chief Darnell Richardson said.  Morristown police began investigating Masariego-Flores in September 2023 after receiving a referral regarding the sexual abuse of a child, authorities said. The investigation reveale…
Newton Man Sexually Assaulted Child: Sussex County Prosecutor Newton Man Sexually Assaulted Child: Sussex County Prosecutor
Newton Man Sexually Assaulted Child: Sussex County Prosecutor A 54-year-ol Newton man was recently and charged with sexually assaulting a child, authorities said. Xavier Izquierdo was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 29 following an investigation by Newton Police Department and the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, Acting Sussex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray, Chief of Detectives Thomas McCormick, and Newton Police Department Acting Chief Joseph D’Annibale said. Izquierdo faces charges of aggravated sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child by causing or permitting a child to be portrayed in a sexually sug…
Dover Police Officer Charged With Child Porn Possession: Prosecutor Dover Police Officer Charged With Child Porn Possession: Prosecutor
Dover Police Officer Charged With Child Porn Possession: Prosecutor A Dover police officer was recently arrested and charged with possessing child pornography, authorities said. Anthony Kelly, a Ledgewood resident was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, distributing child sexual abuse material and endangering the welfare of a child, possessing child sexual abuse material, a spokesperson for the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said. Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney did not respond to an e-mail request for comment.
Former Jersey Shore Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl, Police Say Former Jersey Shore Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl, Police Say
Former Jersey Shore Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl, Police Say A former Galloway Township gymnastics coach was accused of sexually assaulting a girl under 16 years old, authorities said. The Galloway Township Police Department announced the arrest of 51-year-old Matthew Shriver in a news release on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The Brigantine man was a co-owner of Everest Gymnastics and Tumbling Center in Galloway Township. The investigation began after officers received a report regarding the abuse accusations. Police said they obtained cell phone evidence that corroborated the victim’s statements.  This evidence led to search warrants for Shriver’s phone, perso…
NJ Performing Arts HS Teacher Confesses To Molesting Female Student, Prosecutors Say NJ Performing Arts HS Teacher Confesses To Molesting Female Student, Prosecutors Say
NJ Performing Arts HS Teacher Confesses To Molesting Female Student, Prosecutors Say A former teacher at an Ocean County performing arts academy admitted to molesting a female student, authorities said. Douglas Bollinger of Neptune City, pleaded guilty on Monday, Nov. 18, to endangering the welfare of a child, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Investigators said Bollinger, 57, engaged in "inappropriate sexual contact" with a student. The incidents happened in Point Pleasant Beach and Asbury Park between February and August 2019. Bollinger was a teacher at the Grunin Performing Arts Academy, part of Ocean County Vocational Tech…
Former Columbia University VP Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen At Bergen County Home Former Columbia University VP Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen At Bergen County Home
Former Columbia University VP Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen At Bergen County Home A former Columbia University vice president has been convicted of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 years old at his Bergen County home, authorities announced. Marcelo Velez was found to have sexually assaulted the child at his home in Woodcliff Lake after the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office was notified in January 2021, Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Velez was convicted by a jury of aggravated sexual assault, two counts of sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child by engaging in sexual conduct following a three-week trial that began earlier this month. Col…
'Mrs. Maisel' Actor Sent Sexual Messages To 14-Year-Old In North Jersey: Sources 'Mrs. Maisel' Actor Sent Sexual Messages To 14-Year-Old In North Jersey: Sources
'Mrs. Maisel' Actor Sent Sexual Messages To 14-Year-Old In North Jersey: Sources A 31-year-old actor and Hawthorne resident was arrested and charged on Thursday, Oct. 10, with sending sexual messages to a 14-year-old girl, Daily Voice has learned. Matthew Kresch sent the text messages to the girl as part of an attempt to lure her into having sex, Hawthorne police said. He was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of luring. Kresch, whose birthday was Sunday, Oct. 13, co-directed the horror film "Alone Together" with his brother, William, and played a bartender on two episodes of "The Incredible Mrs. Maisel," IMDB shows. …
PA Man Gets 5 Years For Sexually Assaulting Girl He Met On Snapchat: Warren County Prosecutor PA Man Gets 5 Years For Sexually Assaulting Girl He Met On Snapchat: Warren County Prosecutor
PA Man Gets 5 Years For Sexually Assaulting Girl He Met On Snapchat: Warren County Prosecutor A 33-year-old Bethlehem, PA man was sentenced to five years in New Jersey State Prison on Friday, Sept. 27, after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in 2022, authorities said. Garry Bunting was initially charged with human trafficking of a minor, sexual assault, and other offenses in January 2022 after he met up with a 16-year-old girl he talked to on Snapchat, took her from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, and “engaged her in multiple sexual acts,” the Warren County Prosecutor's Office said. Bunting also pled guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and attempted enda…