Lumberton mayor (D) indicted on child endangerment, abuse charges
A grand jury in Burlington County has indicted Lumberton Mayor Gina LaPlaca on charges of child endangerment and child abuse after her drunk driving arrest last March.
LaPlaca had her young child in the car when she was involved in a hit-and-run on St. Patrick’s Day in nearby Mount Laurel, and after Lumberton police arrested her, her blood alcohol content was nearly four times the legal limit, according to police records. Her 2019 Blue BMW was damaged, and open bottles of alcohol were found in her car.
If convicted, LaPlaca could face prison, hefty fines, forfeiture of her public office, and loss of custody of her child.
The child endangerment charge by the grand jury is a second-degree offense and carries a prison sentence of five to ten years, a $150,000 fine, and comes with a presumption of incarceration. The indictment accuses LaPlaca of causing harm, “thereby making him/her an abused or neglected child” as the legal caregiver.
https://newjerseyglobe.com/local/lumberton-mayor-indicted-on-child-endangerment-abuse-charges/