A New Jersey mom was arrested for using an electric shock collar made for dogs on her young child, officials alleged.
Kimberly Cruz-Feliciano, 30, of Cape May, NJ, was taken into custody on Mar. 17 after her child reportedly showed up to school with visible marks on their neck that caused concern from teachers, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office claimed in a news release.
Those marks were determined by investigators to be a result of an electric collar — designed to shock dogs when they bark — that the child’s mother forced them to wear, according to the release.
Shock collars are designed to dole out electrical charges as high as 100-volts.
During the investigation, Cape May officials found that Cruz-Feliciano further threatened her child with even more violence if the poor kid reported the abuse, the release stated.
“This case highlights the ongoing dedication of our law enforcement agencies to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffery H. Sutherland said in a statement.
“We take all allegations of child abuse with the utmost seriousness, and we will continue to ensure tha those responsible for such heinous acts are held fully accountable under the law.”
Cruz-Feliciano is charged with two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a child, two counts of Aggravated Assault, one count of Witness Tampering with threat of force, and one count of Hindering.
Sonia Feliciano, 59, the victim’s maternal grandmother, is also facing one count of Hindering and Tampering with Evidence.
