Rebecca L. Smith JACKSON — A 29-year-old woman has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and committing child abuse.
According to Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Al Della Fave, Jackson Detective Robert Reiff and prosecutor’s office Detective Lindsay Woodfield arrested Rebecca L. Smith of Jackson July 17 after a 12-year-old boy reported that she physically assaulted him that day.
According to Della Fave, the boy told Woodfield that Smith struck him with the cord of a game controller and left marks on his body and face.
The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Criminal Investigations Unit photographed the marks and documented them as evidence.
Officials said Smith and the boy knew each other prior to the incident.
Officials said the boy reported that Smith had used an unknown substance, which is believed to be a controlled dangerous substance, in front of him and did not care for or feed his 8-year-old sister.
After hearing the boy’s allegations, Reiff and Woodfield obtained and executed a search warrant at Smith’s home. Upon searching the residence, they seized drug paraphernalia and substances that were believed to be illegal drugs, authorities said.
Smith was subsequently taken into custody and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and committing child abuse. She was initially placed in the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, after being unable to post $75,000 bail, with no 10 percent option. Authorities said Smith is prohibited from having any contact with either child.