Latest news with #GloucesterTownshipPolice
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
18-year-old girl escapes from New Jersey home where she was allegedly forced to live in dog crate and abused
A New Jersey couple has been charged after an 18-year-old escaped their residence and said she was forced to live in a dog crate for a year, given a bucket to use as a bathroom and severely abused over a seven-year span. Brenda Spencer, 38, and Branndon Mosley, 41, of Gloucester Township, were charged with kidnapping and Mosley with additional counts of sexual assault, The Camden County Prosecutor's Office and Gloucester Township Police announced Wednesday. The 18-year-old female, who officials described as the daughter of Spencer and step-daughter of Mosley, had escaped the home on May 8, assisted by a neighbor, prosecutors and police said in a news release. The abuse was then reported to police on Saturday. The victim said Spencer and Mosley had abused her since 2018. Around that time, she was removed from school when she was in the sixth grade 'at Spencer's discretion and confined to her home,' officials said. The victim said shortly after she was pulled out of school, she was 'forced to live in a dog crate for approximately one year and was let out periodically,' the release said. Later, she was forced to live in a padlocked bathroom and was chained up. She told police she would be let out of the bathroom when family visited the home. At other times she lived in a bare room with a bucket to use as a toilet. The victim told police the room had an alarm system that would 'alert Spencer and Mosley if she tried to leave.' The victim also reported being beaten with a belt and sexually abused by Mosley, officials stated. Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins told reporters Wednesday it was 'one of the most despicable cases we've run across.' He said that police responded on May 8 to Wawa and met with the teen and took a statement from her. She described the situation as a domestic violence case but did not disclose the full scope of the abuse, Harkins said. She was offered domestic violence services, which she declined at the time. Police were called again on Saturday night, when the full story came out. Detectives searched the home and found the victim lived in 'squalid conditions' crammed with numerous Great Dane large dogs, chinchillas and other animals. A 13-year-old child also lived in the home and was removed from school years prior at Spencer's discretion, and both girls were allegedly homeschooled, the release said. Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay did not disclose specific details of how the girl escaped or her captivity. "Anyone who's been confined for a period of seven years, held in these conditions, living in squalid filth, is going to be damaged, psychologically, physically, emotionally, mentally, and as you also can appreciate, when it comes to cases involving child endangerment and child abuse and sexual assault, confidentiality to protect the victims is paramount. So we're limited in all the details," she said. Harkins said police had no indication about child abuse going on at the home, but had some animal complaints in the past. Spencer was unemployed and Mosley worked for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) as a train conductor. He was one of the employees honored by SEPTA in March, described as a train engineer. Spencer and Mosley were both charged Sunday with kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, five counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child — abuse/neglect, criminal restraint, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. Mosley was further charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child — sexual contact. They were arrested at their home on Sunday and remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility pending detention hearings set for Friday. A public defender listed for the couple declined to comment on the case. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Gloucester Township Day postponed indefinitely: Mayor weighs in
The Brief The decades-old Gloucester Township Day celebration has been posted indefinitely for 2025. The news comes after hundreds of teens and young adults created chaos during last year's event and posted social media threats ahead of this year's event. Gloucester Township's mayor has addressed the decision to postpone Township Day. GLOUCESTER TWP., N.J. - Officials in Gloucester Township made the disappointing announcement Tuesday afternoon that the town's popular 40-year-old summer carnival planned for June 7th has been postponed indefinitely due to credible online threats. The threats came after the 2024 event where hundreds of rowdy teens took over Veteran's Park and hundreds of officers responded. What we know Officials say the safety and well-being of its residents, families, and visitors remain their top priority. Threats of firearms and chaos were among some of the social media posts threatening a decades-old community tradition in Gloucester Township. As of Tuesday night, that popular event is officially off. "In light of the experience of last year's Gloucester Township Day and our readership and analysis, we cannot provide a venue to allow this type of behavior to repeat itself this year," said Chief David Harkins of the Gloucester Township Police. The Gloucester Township Police Chief announced the disappointing news that the town's popular 40-year-old summer carnival planned for June 7 has been postponed indefinitely due to credible online threats. The threats followed last year's event, where hundreds of rowdy teens took over Veteran's Park, prompting a response from hundreds of officers. More than a dozen teens were charged with disorderly conduct during the melee. "A group of hundreds of unruly and unparented juveniles disrupted that nice gathering, turning it into chaos," said David Mayer, Mayor of Gloucester Township. Officials say they didn't want to postpone the event, but after seeing threats discussing gunfire and causing terror, they felt they had no choice. "What happened after that posting is both alarming, as one post was circulated around the internet 20,000 times by what appears to be juveniles expressing their excitement about showing up and once again causing disruption and chaos," Mayer explained. The event is also a major fundraiser for a township scholarship program for high school students going to college, meaning some kids won't receive that money this year. "Last year we raised approximately $30,000 for Gloucester Township Day, so you can imagine that represents a substantial majority of the money we raise," Mayer noted. What's next New legislation in New Jersey that would enhance fines disorderly conduct and create new penalties for inciting public brawls is awaiting Governor Murphy's signature. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Paul Moriarty (D) of Gloucester. Township officials say if signed into law they may reconsider their decision. The Source The information in this story is from the Gloucester Township police and mayor.
