44 dog carcasses found — Shamong woman pleads guilty to 6 deaths

A Burlington County woman will likely spend three months in jail and be blocked from caring for a pet for five years, now that she has pleaded guilty to causing the death of six dogs.

The home of Shamong resident Donna Roberts is where authorities in 2018 found 44 dog carcasses wrapped in plastic and stored in freezers. Investigators also located 160 living dogs on the premises, on the 500 block of Oakshade Road, four of which required emergency treatment at a veterinary clinic. According to officials, the dogs were living in deplorable and inhumane conditions.

Roberts, 68, was charged in November 2018. She recently pleaded guilty to one count of cruelty to animals.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 13. It's expected that Roberts will serve 90 days in the Burlington County Jail, and that she'll serve 5 years of probation, during which she cannot own, raise or care for any animal.

Dino Flammia is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com

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NJ teachers and educators caught in sex crime busts

Over the past few years, state lawmakers have taken on the challenge of dealing with accused child predators among the ranks of teachers and educators.

In 2018, the so-called “pass the trash” law went into effect, requiring stricter New Jersey school background checks related to child abuse and sexual misconduct.

The follow individuals were arrested over the past several years. Some have been convicted and sentenced to prison, while others have accepted plea deals for probation.

Others cases are still pending, including some court delays amid the COVID-19 pandemic.