NJ Mom Shocked Child With Dead Dog's Electric Collar: Authorities

CAPE MAY, NJ — A mother is accused of forcing her child to wear an electric shock collar that belonged to the family's dead dog and using it to shock the child on at least one occasion, Cape May County authorities said.

The child abuse investigation was launched on March 17 after a child came to school in Cape May with visible marks on their body, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and with Cape May Police Chief Dekon Fashaw said in a joint release. The young boy had told school officials that his mother had shocked him with a dog shock collar, and workers noted "obvious bruising" on his neck consistent with his admission, according to court documents obtained by Patch.

Kimberly Cruz-Feliciano, 30, is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, two counts of aggravated assault, witness tampering with a threat of force and hindering.

Cruz-Feliciano had kept the collar in her bedroom in a box with other belongings from the family's previous dog, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in her arrest. The boy's older sister told police that Cruz-Feliciano would regularly charge the collar even after the dog's death.

Cruz-Feliciano admitted to using the collar "one time" on her young son "because he was not listening to her," according to documents.

The daughter told authorities that her brother was forced to wear the collar at all times at home and Cruz-Feliciano "would shock him any time he made her angry," documents say. She said that on one occasion she was made to put the collar on her brother, but tried to loosen it and told him to "pretend it hurt to protect him."

Cruz-Feliciano also allegedly physically abused her older child and then threatened more violence against her if she told anyone where he bruises came from, according to documents.

The day after the daughter was initially interviewed by police she was interviewed again and admitted that she had lied because she was afraid of what her mother would do to her, according to documents. She said that Cruz-Feliciano had a rule of "what happens at home stays at home" and would hide the children's bruising with clothing.

Additionally, the child's maternal grandmother Sonia Feliciano, 59, was charged with hindering and tampering with evidence. Documents say that Cruz-Feliciano, believing that an investigation into her was coming, had her mother dispose of the shock collar.

Both Cruz-Feliciano and Feliciano live on Broad Street Court in Cape May, authorities said.

Cruz-Feliciano sits in the Cape May County Correctional Facility, while Feliciano was released on a summons pending court proceedings.

“This case highlights the ongoing dedication of our law enforcement agencies to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” Sutherland said. “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.”