A New Jersey mother was arrested on child abuse charges while the child's grandmother is facing charges of interfering with the investigation.
According to the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, the investigation started on March 17 after a child showed up at school with visible marks on their body.
The investigation revealed that the marks were from an electric dog shock collar, officials said.
The child's mother, 30-year-old Kimberly Cruz-Feliciano is accused of threatening the victim with more violence if they told anyone about it.
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"We take all allegations of child abuse with the utmost seriousness, and we will continue to ensure that those responsible for such heinous acts are held fully accountable under the law," Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland said in a statement.
Cruz-Feliciano was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated assault and witness tampering and other related charges. She is currently being held in Cape May Correctional Center awaiting court proceedings.
Cruz-Feliciano's mother, 59-year-old Sonia Feliciano, was charged with hindering and tampering with evidence, officials explained. She was released on a summons pending court proceedings.
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If you have any information on this case, please contact the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit at 609-465-1135.
