South Jersey mayor due in court on child endangerment, abuse charges
NJ mayor due in court; person fatally struck by train in Chester County
The mayor of Lumberton, New Jersey, is due in court today on child endangerment charge; a person was struck and killed by a train in Chester County.
LUMBERTON, N.J. - Current Lumberton Township Mayor Gina LaPlaca will appear in court on Monday after allegedly driving drunk with her child in the car last year.
The backstory:
LaPlaca was charged with DUI and endangering the welfare of a child after she was arrested for a hit-and-run on St. Patrick's Day last year.
Bodycam video showed the mayor's arrest in front of her home with her 2-year-old son in the backseat.
Prosecutors say LaPlaca's blood alcohol level was nearly four times the legal limit. Open alcohol bottles were also found in her at the time of her arrest.
She has pleaded not guilty after being indicted for endangering the welfare of a child and child abuse this past November.
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.
What they're saying:
LaPlaca has refused residents' requests to resign as the mayor of Lumberton.
"I will not be resigning my position," she said in an email following her arrest. "Our community needs to be more kind and understanding about people trying to better themselves. As we all know, there is a huge black eye and black cloud over our town right now."
She returned to her township duties this past May after "successfully completing 54 days of inpatient treatment," according to a message she posted on Facebook.
What's next:
If convicted, LaPlaca faces a possible prison sentence, fines and loss of her public office.
The Source: Information from the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office, previous FOX 29 reporting and social media.