NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY REPORTED THAT A SUSSEX COUNTY GRAND JURY HAS INDICTED FIVE PEOPLE IN CONNECTION WITH THE ABANDONMENT OF MORE THAN 40 SMALL DOGS ACROSS THE COUNTY EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE CASE DREW STATEWIDE ATTENTION AND PROMPTED A LARGE-SCALE SEARCH EFFORT. THE DEFENDANTS ARE 19-YEAR-OLD JOHSUA CIEMNIECKI OF PHILLIPSBURG, 30-YEAR-OLD KAILA MCNEIL OF STEWARTSVILLE, 72-YEAR-OLD FRANCIS CIEMNIECKI OF PHILLIPSBURG, 50-YEAR-OLD CYNTHIA CIEMNIECKI OF PHILLIPSBURG, AND 74-YEAR-OLD ROBERT CIEMNIECKI OF PHILLIPSBURG. THE INDICTMENT ON NOVEMBER 5TH CHARGES THE GROUP WITH VARIOUS COUNTS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY AND CONSPIRACY. CYNTHIS CIEMNIECKI AND MCNEIL ALSO FACE CHARGES RELATED TO ALLEGED EVIDENCE TAMPERING. ACCORDING TO THE SUSSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, THE DEFENDANTS ABANDONED DOGS IN STILLWATER, LAFAYETTE AND WANTAGE TOWNSHIPS ON MARCH 16TH AS SEVERE WEATHER MOVED THROUGH THE REGION. ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES, ABOUT 34 DOGS WERE RECORDED ALIVE, SEVERAL DIED, AND AT LEAST FIVE REMAINED UNDISCOVERED. PROSECUTORS CLAIM THE DOGS WERE TRANSPORTED IN A DODGE DURANGO AND A RENTED U-HAUL BEFORE BEING ABANDONED WITHOUT WATER, FOOD, OR SHELTER. IT IS ALLEGED THAT CYNTHIC CIEMNIECKI AND MCNEIL CONSPIRED TO DELETE CELL PHONE VIDEO EVIDENCE AFTER THE ABANDONMENTS. ON NOVEMBER 16TH, THE DEFENDANTS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE ARRAIGNED IN SUSSEX COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT.
NJ.COM REPORTED THAT A CLIFTON TEEN RIDING A MOTORCYCLE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AFTER A CRASH WITH A CAR SUNDAY NIGHT. ACCORDING TO CLIFTON POLICE DEPARTMENT LIEUTENANT ROBERT ANDERSON, POLICE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE ON THE INTERSECTION OF MAIN AVENUE AND WEST THIRD STREET AROUND 7:49 PM. THE 16-YEAR-OLD BOY SUSTAINED POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH A TOYOTA COROLLA WHILE RIDING HIS MOTORCYCLE. HE WAS TAKEN TO AN AREA HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. ACCORDING TO POLICE, THE 20-YEAR-OLD DRIVER FROM PATERSON AND THE TWO PASSENGERS FROM CLIFTON SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE DRIVER AND REAR SEAT PASSENGER DECLINED ANY MEDICAL ATTENTION, WHILE THE FRONT-SEAT PASSENGER WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL. THE INVESTIGATION REMAINS ONGOING AS CLIFTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TRAFFIC DIVISION DETECTIVES INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT.
NJ.COM REPORTED THAT A TOTOWA BOY WITH AUTISM WAS RESCUED AFTER HE FELL INTO A RIVER THURSDAY NIGHT. POLICE WERE FIRST CALLED AT AROUND 9:20 PM TO REPORT A BOY KNOCKING ON DOORS AND WALKING TOWARD THE PASSAIC RIVER. POLICE BELIEVE THAT HE HAD CLIMBED OUT OF HIS BEDROOM WINDOW AT AROUND 8:55 PM. ACCORDING TO TOTOWA POLICE, THE BOY WAS FOUND CLINGING TO A TREE WHILE PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN THE WATER AT AROUND 9:50 PM AFTER A HALF-HOUR SEARCH. ACCORDING TO POLICE CAPTAIN GEORGE DIPASQUALE, FIREFIGHTERS PASSED THE BOY UP THE EMBANKMENT AND HELPED HIM REUNITE WITH HIS PARENTS. HE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN AREA HOSPITAL TO BE CHECKED ON.