Honk News (Cape May City, NJ) – Prosecutors say a mother in New Jersey was detained after forcing her child to wear a dog shock collar, which left wounds on the toddler’s neck.
According to a news release from the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, Kimberly Cruz-Feliciano, 30, was charged with two charges of endangering the welfare of a child, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of witness tampering with the threat of force, and one count of obstructing.
When the child showed up at Cape May City Elementary School on March 17 with obvious body marks—later identified as the result of a dog shock collar—the abuse was discovered. Cruz-Feliciano was taken into custody the next day after a joint investigation by the Cape May City Police Department and the Special Victims Unit of the prosecutor’s office.
According to the news release, investigators discovered that Cruz-Feliciano also threatened to use additional violence against the youngster if the abuse was revealed.
Up to 100 volts of electricity can be delivered using shock collars.
According to court filings, the victim said authorities that the collar was charged on a daily basis following the death of the dog and that it was stored in a bedroom with mementos from the family’s deceased dog, WPVI reported.
According to the site, Cruz-Feliciano reportedly claimed to authorities she had her mother, Sonia Feliciano, 59, dispose of the collar after confessing to the assault.
According to the news release, the victim’s maternal grandmother was released on a summons pending court hearings, despite being charged with tampering and impeding evidence.
In a statement, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland said, “This case demonstrates the continued commitment of our law enforcement agencies to safeguarding the most vulnerable members of our community.” “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.”
