Trinity Mount Ministries

Showing posts with label New Jersey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Jersey. Show all posts

Monday, February 17, 2020

Search For 5-Year-Old Dulce Maria Alavez Continues 5 Months After She Disappeared From Bridgeton City Park


Author: Dan Koob

BRIDGETON, N.J. (CBS) — Sunday was another sad calendar milestone in the search for missing 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez, who disappeared from Bridgeton City Park five months ago on Sept. 16, 2019. Dulce’s family and the Bridgeton community are still holding out hope she’ll be found.

Manny Abarca and Camilla Alavez played on a brisk Sunday at Ridgeway Hunter Field in Bridgeton, but they were one person short.

“It’s taken a toll on me. It’s stressful and it’s just like, what else can I do?” family spokesperson Jackie Rodriguez said.

Dulce is still gone — five months since her disappearance from the park.

Dulce’s grandmother Norma Perez Alavez said in Spanish, translated by Rodriguez, that every day they “wake up to hear news, but they don’t get any new news,:

The memorial where Dulce’s first vigil remains for now.

“As people walked out, they placed candles and teddy bears and stuff like that,” Rodriguez said.

But now, they’re being told it’s time to move.

With the youth baseball season approaching, the family has agreed to move the memorial across the park and away from the backstop to avoid foot traffic.

“I hope her name stays alive and I will do my part to keep her name alive,” Rodriguez said.

As Dulce’s relatives played next to the stuffed animals and frozen lunchboxes, her family keeps looking — 153 days later and counting.



Camilla Alavez is Dulce’s aunt. She says she can’t wait for Dulce to come home so the two can go back to giving each other great hugs and playing.

The only real clue police have released so far is a sketch of a person of interest.




(credit: Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office)

But that was back in October.

Police say between eight and 10 detectives from four different agencies are working on Dulce’s case every day. Physical searches in the Bridgeton area continue as warranted. Investigators are using facial recognition technology is also being put to use.

Authorities say they have received several terabytes worth of pictures and videos related to the case.

Police still believe Dulce was abducted and didn’t just walk off.

*** If you have any information, please call police at 856-451-0033 or text anonymously to TIP411. ***


Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Predators are using Fortnite to lure kids. Cops say parents need to worry


By Paige Gross

First, parents worried about their children being approached by predators at grocery stores and on playgrounds. Then the threat moved online via shady profiles on social media.

Now, authorities say, some phone apps have opened even more channels of communication between adult predators and minors -- including some video games like Fortnite and Minecraft.

Earlier this week, in announcing the arrests of 24 alleged predators, state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal warned the public that people looking to take advantage of young teens and children have more options to do so than ever due to the ever-developing landscape of internet communication. 

"It is a frightening reality that sexual predators are lurking on social media, ready to strike if they find a child who is vulnerable," Grewal said in describing how the 24 suspects were attempting to lure and elicit sex with teenagers.
The suspects, all men, varied in age and walks of life.

But Grewal said most were taking advantage of a multitude of apps allowing them to reach out to children, or in this case, undercover detectives.



Some of the apps N.J. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal warned parents about monitoring. (Michael Mancuso | For NJ.com) 

The men thought they were chatting with 14- and 15-year-old boys and girls, but were instead talking with detectives with the New Jersey State Police's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The task force trains its detectives to maintain online profiles on apps known for hooking up like Tinder and Grindr.

But Grewal said their presence can reach far beyond that.

Arrests of alleged child predators have been made after communicating through apps like Kik, Wishbone, Tumblr and even video games like Fortnite, Minecraft and Discord. 

The similarities to the more social apps are that the gaming apps have a chat area.
"These arrests serve as a sobering reminder that parents should closely monitor their child's online activity," State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan said Tuesday.

Some of the apps, like Tinder, have an 18+ age requirement, but users are able to enter a birth date that's older or younger than they actually are. A person's age listed on Facebook sets their age on Tinder, as well, if the apps are synced.

But the app wasn't always adult-only.
Up until June 2016, a user only had to be 13 to sign up. The company changed its requirement after being heavily criticized by parents, parentinfo.com reported.

Many other social mediums and apps, like Tumblr, Instagram and Snapchat also have a minimum age requirement of 13. Tumblr says it's serious about its age requirement, writing:

What is Fortnite, the video game turned cultural phenomenon?

Making sure a child or teenager doesn't get wrapped up in a conversation with someone much older than they are pretending to be boils down to parents taking note of the apps their kids are using and talking through what is appropriate, authorities say.



"If children appear anxious of evasive when the topic is raised, it may be a red flag," Grewal said.

"It's critical that parents talk to their children about social media and chat apps to let them know that the people they encounter may not be who they initially seemed to be."

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Six Children Dead In 'Severe' Virus Outbreak At NJ Facility

Six children are dead because of a severe and life-threatening virus outbreak at a NJ rehabilitation facility, according to the state.


Six Children Dead In 'Severe' Virus Outbreak At NJ Facility
Six children are now dead because of a severe and life-threatening virus outbreak at a New Jersey facility that was reported this week, according to state health officials.
The state Department of Health says it is investigating a total of 18 adenovirus cases at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Haskell, Passaic County.
"Of these 18 cases, there have unfortunately been six deaths of pediatric residents," according to a statement from the Department of Health.The facility has been instructed not to admit any new patients until the outbreak ends and the Wanaque Center is in full compliance with medically appropriate standards, officials said.
A department team was at the facility Tuesday and an inspection team was also there Sunday. The team on Sunday found minor handwashing deficiencies and the Health Department is continuing to work closely with the facility on infection control issues, officials said.


This is an ongoing outbreak investigation.
Adenoviruses are tyicaly a family of viruses that often cause mild illness, particularly in young children. But this particular strain of adenovirus (#7) is affecting medically fragile children with severely compromised immune systems, according to Donna Leusner, a spokeswoman for the health department.
"The combination of a worse strain of adenovirus together with a fragile population has led to a more severe outbreak," she said.
Inspectors from the Department of Health were also at the facility on Monday. The department has been following the situation very closely and has been in close contact with clinical and administrative staff, providing guidance on infection control and cleaning procedures, Leusner said.
The Wanaque Center is a professional nursing home, rehabilitation center and pediatrics center which offers short and long term care in a secure and caring environment, according to its website.
Adenoviruses can cause a wide range of illnesses such as:
  • Common cold
  • Sore throat
  • Bronchitis (a condition that occurs when the airways in the lungs become filled with mucus and may spasm, which causes a person to cough and have shortness of breath)
  • Pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
  • Diarrhea
  • Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
  • Fever
  • Bladder inflammation or infection
  • Inflammation of stomach and intestines
  • Neurologic disease (conditions that affect the brain and spinal cord)
Adenoviruses can cause mild to severe illness, though serious illness is less common. People with weakened immune systems, or existing respiratory or cardiac disease, are at higher risk of developing severe illness from an adenovirus infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CDC photo

Friday, August 3, 2018

3rd Child Porn Conviction For Old Bridge Man

Old Bridge man with two prior child porn convictions pleaded guilty Thursday to having 119 images and 65 child sex videos on his cell.


By Carly Baldwin, Patch Staff | Aug 3, 2018

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — An Old Bridge man who has two prior child pornography convictions resulting from arrests in 2006 and 2009 pleaded guilty Thursday to a new child pornography charge stemming from his arrest last year in "Operation Safety Net."

Kevin G. Wenng Jr., 36, of Old Bridge, pictured above, pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Dennis V. Nieves on Thursday, Aug. 2 to possessing more than 100 files of child pornography. Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Wenng be sentenced to five years in state prison.

He already was registered as a sex offender under Megan's Law, but the state will now recommend that he be ordered to be subject to parole supervision for life. Wenng is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 2.

Wenng was arrested on May 9, 2017, by detectives from the New Jersey State Police, Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and Old Bridge police dept. State police had received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about a user who uploaded numerous files of child pornography to a cloud storage account. The account was linked to IP addresses that were traced to Wenng. The detectives seized a desktop computer and two cell phones from Wenng. A total of 119 images and 65 videos of child pornography were found on the cell phones.

Wenng was among 79 people arrested in "Operation Safety Net," a nine-month, multi-agency child protection operation conducted in 2017 by the New Jersey Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which is led by the New Jersey State Police and includes the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), all 21 county prosecutors' offices, and many other state, county and local law enforcement agencies.

Ten alleged "hands-on" offenders were arrested in Operation Safety Net, including eight New Jersey men, as well as men in California and Indiana who allegedly tried to have children transported interstate from New Jersey so they could sexually assault them.

In 2007, Wenng pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to three years in state prison. He was required to register as a sex offender under Megan's Law. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography and was sentenced to five years of probation.

Mugshot provided by the New Jersey Attorney General.

Monday, July 30, 2018

Baby's Death From NJ Daycare Incident Under Investigation

Baby's Death From NJ Daycare Incident Under Investigation

The baby was just three-months-old when he suffered a medical emergency at a daycare, reports said.


Authorities are investigating the death of an infant after he suffered a medical emergency at a Morris County daycare center, a spokesperson for the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said.

Marcus Eng died when he was just four months old after suffering a respiratory emergency at the KinderCare daycare in Hanover, the Daily Record reported. Spokesperson Peter DiGennaro confirmed the investigation to Patch, but declined to provide more information, citing the ongoing investigation.

Eng was taken from the daycare center to Morristown Medical Center on Feb. 8 after suffering a medical emergency, the report said. The family's attorney told the paper Eng was placed face down with a pillow under his stomach, and suffered a brain injury from lack of oxygen. He died several weeks later at the hospital. 

No cause of death has been determined yet, the report said. Patch reached out to the medical examiner for more information, but has not yet heard back.





Sunday, December 3, 2017

79 alleged child predators have been arrested across New Jersey:

TRENTON, N.J. (WPVI) --

A total of 79 alleged child predators have been arrested across New Jersey.

Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced the massive roundup of predators and child pornography offenders on Friday.

Among those accused include a camp counselor, a youth minister and several adults who allegedly tried to have children transported across state lines for the purposes of sex.

The attorney general has a strong message for those engaging in these disturbing acts.

"If you're lurking in a chat room looking to exploit a child, our investigators are lurking alongside you," Porrino said.

The roundup was part of Operation Safety Net.

Those arrested were identified as:

William Esker, 22, of Bayonne, N.J., was charged on Sept. 7 by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office with aggravated criminal sexual contact for allegedly engaging in sexual conduct with a girl, 14, over whom he had direct supervision as a camp counselor. He also is charged with providing obscene material to a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

Donald Beckwith, 34, of Browns Mills, N.J., is charged in Delaware with sexual solicitation of a minor and attempt to commit unlawful sexual contact with a minor. Beckwith, a captain in the Air Force stationed in New Jersey, met a girl, 14, through an online chat group for children and allegedly engaged her in sexual conversations, ultimately asking her to meet him in person. He allegedly met the girl twice in Delaware. The first time, he allegedly reached under her shirt and tried to touch her breast, and the second time he allegedly hugged her and repeatedly asked her to lie on a bed in the back of his vehicle and watch a movie with him. The New Jersey State Police arrested Beckwith on Aug. 16 in an investigation initiated by the Delaware State Police. Detectives allegedly found over 10 nude images of an underage girl on his phone.

Michael DeBlock, 22, of Hopatcong, N.J., a youth minister, was arrested on Oct. 10 and charged by the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office with possession of child pornography and conveying obscene materials to a child. DeBlock allegedly exchanged sexual photos and texts with a girl, 14, including a photo of his penis.

Brandon Morris, 24, of Hammonton, N.J., was arrested on Oct. 17 and charged by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office with manufacturing child pornography, endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct, conveying obscene materials to a child, and possession of child pornography. Morris allegedly engaged multiple underage girls in conversations on FaceTime, instructing them to perform sexual acts on themselves, which he recorded.

A 17-year-old student from Bergen County, whose name is not being released due to his juvenile status, was arrested on Aug. 17 and charged by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office with manufacturing, distributing and possessing child pornography, as well as invasion of privacy. The juvenile allegedly had over 1,000 files of suspected child pornography on his electronic devices, including video recordings he allegedly made by hiding his smartphone in a private bathroom in order to record underage boys who were nude, showering or urinating.

Craig Kirschner, 39, of Marlboro, N.J., was arrested on Aug. 21 and charged by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office with luring a child, attempted sexual assault of a minor, and conveying obscene material to a minor. Kirschner allegedly solicited an undercover detective, whom he believed to be a 15-year-old male, to meet for oral sex. The detective was monitoring a mobile app when he encountered Kirschner. After the undercover detective identified himself as a 15-year-old boy, Kirschner allegedly sent him photos of an erect penis, asked him to meet for oral sex, and stated "I can be generous for your trouble."

Isaac Toney, 40, of Trenton, N.J., was arrested on July 17 by the New Jersey State Police and charged with luring a child. He allegedly used a mobile app to solicit an undercover detective, whom he believed was a 14-year-old male, for oral sex. He was arrested at Veterans Park in Hamilton, Mercer County, where he allegedly was to meet the "boy" for a sexual encounter.

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Trinity Mount Ministries Website: http://www.TrinityMount.Info

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Body of Missing 12-Year-Old NJ Girl Believed Found ...

NBC New York

Body of Missing 12-Year-Old NJ Girl Believed Found in Recycling Container: Official

Autumn Pasquale was reported missing from her Clayton home at 9:30 p.m. Saturday


By Brian Thompson and AP|  Tuesday, Oct 23, 2012  |  Updated 11:19 AM EDT








Photos released by Clayton, N.J. Police Department show Autumn Pasquale, 12, of Clayton, N.J.
The discovery of a girl's body in a home's recycling bin spread grief and fear Tuesday through a small town in southern New Jersey that had been desperately searching for a 12-year-old resident since she missed her curfew over the weekend.
Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton said the body of Autumn Pasquale was found around 10 p.m. Monday in the bin just blocks from her house and from Borough Hall, where thousands of people gathered earlier in the evening for a tearful candlelight vigil to pray for her safe return.
"The search for Autumn is over," he told a news conference Tuesday.
With autopsy results pending, he did not label the death a homicide. He said the investigation was just beginning and that there were no suspects.
If someone is found responsible for the death, "they don't deserve to be walking the streets," he said.
Dalton said Clayton was a safe community, but parents should continue to keep close watch on their children.
The girl's uncle, Paul Spadofora, gathered with other relatives at the news conference to thank the community for its help in the search. The victim's parents did not attend.
"We all have beautiful chlidren but there was something special about Autumn. She was an angel here on earth and she's an angel up in heaven," Spadofora said. "There's evil everywhere, even in the small town of Clayton. Out of evil will come good."
Crime scene investigators arrived shortly before 9 a.m. at the house where the body was found. Authorities have not said where on the property the recycling bin was found.
But Tuesday was trash collection day, and many residents had dragged their trash cans and recycling bins to the curb the night before. The covered recycling bins are collected by an automated truck that picks them up and dumps the contents into the back.
Police barricaded the block, and friends and neighbors came by to see. Some mothers said they were keeping their kids out of school for the day. Even before the body was found, students reported that Spirit Week had been canceled because of the sorrow.
One young man rode a bike up, sat on a porch of a home and cried, then biked away.
Clayton Mayor Thomas Bianco walked to the scene, cried, hugged a police officer and gave a brief statement to the gathered reporters.
"You hear about it in other places but never think it would happen in our little town," he said.
Howard Kowgill, 60, who lives in town and, like many, knows members of Autumn's family, said the discovery of the body changes the nature of the town.
"Until they find out who did it, you don't let your kids out," he said.
Authorities said Autumn, whose 13th birthday is next Monday, was last seen around 12:30 p.m. Saturday pedaling her white BMX bicycle away from the Clayton home where she lives with her father, her two siblings, her father's girlfriend and the girlfriend's children.
Relatives said they believed Autumn was heading to see a friend, and they became worried only after she did not return by her 8 p.m. curfew.
By Sunday morning, her disappearance became not only a crisis but a town-wide cause in Clayton, a town 25 miles south of Philadelphia. Volunteers by the hundred joined the search, scouring malls, nearby towns and passing out fliers.
By Monday evening, officials were thanking the volunteers for their help but asking them to call it a night.
Hundreds of people returned Monday for the vigil. The girl's great-uncle spoke, saying he hoped the town could gather again a week later, with Autumn back, with candles to mark her birthday.
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