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PHILADELPHIA - Former Lumberton Township Mayor Gina LaPlaca pleaded guilty on Tuesday to child abuse and DUI charges after she was accused of driving drunk with her child in the car last year.
What we know:
LaPlaca, 46, was sentenced to three years of supervision under a diversionary program for first-time offenders after pleading guilty to child abuse and drunk driving, according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw.
LaPlac must continue attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and follow all conditions of the Pretrial Intervention (PTI) program, according to the sentence imposed by Judge Craig A. Ambrose. She also must comply with requirements from the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency.
South Jersey mayor indicted on child endangerment, abuse charges
Current Lumberton Township mayor Gina LaPlaca has been indicted on charges of endangering the welfare of a child and child abuse.
If LaPlaca fails to meet these conditions, she could be removed from the program and prosecuted on the original criminal charges, including fourth-degree child abuse, to which she pled guilty.
LaPlaca also pled guilty to driving under the influence and was ordered to have an ignition interlock device installed on her vehicle. She told the court she voluntarily installed the device in October 2025 and completed outpatient and intensive treatment programs for alcoholism.
What they're saying:
LaPalca shared a statement following the guilty plea, calling the incident "something I will live with and learn from for the rest of my life."
"I have never felt more humbled than I do standing before my community today. The weight of my actions is something I carry deeply. What I did was wrong. It was dangerous. It was inexcusable. I drove while intoxicated with my child in the car — a choice that could have caused irreversible harm. That reality is something I will live with, and learn from, for the rest of my life."
The backstory:
The charges stem from a March 2025 investigation after another driver reported LaPlaca’s vehicle swerving and nearly hitting oncoming cars. Police say they arrested her at her home after reviewing video footage provided by the witness.
The Lumberton Township Police Department’s investigation found LaPlaca had a blood alcohol concentration of .30%. In New Jersey, the legal limit is .08%.
What we don't know:
It is not clear if LaPlaca will remain on the Lumberton Township Committee or if any additional disciplinary action will be taken by the township.