WOODBRIDGE – An Iselin man has been charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of two minor children who were under his care.
Karl Lancaster, 48, of the Iselin section of Woodbridge, was charged on May 7 with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child in the second degree, and two counts of aggravated assault in the third degree, according to information provided by Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Chief David Irizarry of the Metuchen Police Department.
When the alleged crimes occurred, Lancaster was employed by Youth Consultation Services at the Laurie Haven Home located in Edison as a resident counselor and was responsible for the care of the victims, who were in the custody of the Division of Child Protection and Permanency.
Lancaster was charged during an investigation by Detective Joseph Keane of the Metuchen Police Department and Detective Paul Kelley of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
On April 14, Metuchen police were alerted to an incident that occurred at the Metuchen YMCA on Jan. 22. Thereafter, an investigation began wherein the police determined that on that day, the defendant took three male youths to the Metuchen YMCA for recreation time, according to the statement. There, he physically assaulted two of the children who were under his care, according to the allegations.
Lancaster’s employment had since been terminated.
He was being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick pending his initial court appearance, as of press time.
Anyone with information is asked to call Keane at 732-632-8500, ext. 8501 or Kelley at 732-745-4499.