NJ school psychologist sexually assaulted child, police say

FRANKLIN LAKES — A psychologist who treated children and families and also provided New Jersey schools with child study team evaluations has been accused of sexually abusing a child.

Dr. Lorenzo Puertas, 78, was arrested Wednesday and charged with two counts of sexual assault by sexual contact and one county of endangering the welfare of a child.

The repeated sexual assault of a child younger than 13 by Puertas was reported in March to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency. Passaic authorities then turned the case over to Bergen County, as all reported incidents took place in Franklin Lakes.

Puertas, who is married, is executive director of Psych-Ed Services Inc. The mental healthcare provider is listed as being run from his Franklin Lakes home.

He was scheduled to appear Thursday for a first court appearance in Hackensack.

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