NJ mayor indicted in drunk daycare pickup that led to son watching sobriety test

☑️ Mayor Gina LaPlaca was indicted on child abuse charges

☑️ Dashcam shows LaPlaca taking a sobriety test in her driveway

☑️ The mayor refused to resign despite pressure from residents, governor

LUMBERTON —A grand jury has indicted Mayor Gina LaPlaca on child abuse and child endangerment charges following her DWI arrest after picking up her 2-year-old son up from daycare on St. Patrick's Day.

Dashcam video captured LaPlaca pulling into her driveway and being given a sobriety test by police as her son watched. Police said her blood alcohol content was four times the legal limit.

The Democrat was charged with carelessly driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol with her 2-year-old son secured in a rear car seat, according to Lumberton police.  She was charged with abuse/neglect of a child by a caretaker and cruelty and neglect of children.

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The Burlington County grand jury handed up the indictment on charges accusing LaPlaca of causing harm, “thereby making her child an abused or neglected child” as the legal caregiver. NJ Globe was first to report on the indictment.

She had also been charged with having an open container of alcohol or unsealed cannabis in her motor vehicle, careless driving likely to endanger a person or property, reckless driving, crossing over marked lines in traffic, and driving with an expired license.

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Rehab stay forces mayor to miss meetings, son’s birthday

LaPlaca missed two meetings after her arrest after checking herself into a 30-day in-patient treatment program, according to her husband, Jason Carty. Carty asked everyone to “leave her alone” so she could “get better.” He also said that LaPlaca missed their son’s third birthday and expressed frustration at the number of media outlets trying to talk to him.

Despite pressure from residents and Gov. Phil Murphy, LaPlaca did not resign.

LaPlaca was unanimously censured by the council at its April 3 meeting and has since resumed her duties.

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