Endangerment charges lodged after youngster left home alone

FREEHOLD — A borough woman was arrested on Dec. 11 and charged with endangering the welfare of a child by leaving her 5-year-old daughter at home alone.

According to Freehold Borough Police Capt. Michael DiAiso, officers were summoned to a Clinton Street residence where neighbors heard a young child crying for her mother in English and in Spanish on Dec. 9 at 12:30 a.m.

Police found a 5-year-old girl crying in an upstairs bedroom alone. DiAiso said the officers waited with the child for some time, anticipating the return of an adult.

At 2 a.m., police notified the state Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS). Representatives from that agency eventually met the officers and took the child into their custody. DiAiso explained that a document was left at the apartment by authorities to let whatever adult was responsible for the child know the girl was safe and where she could be found.

An investigation followed and on Dec. 11, police arrested Luteria Cilia, 32, of the borough. She was arrested at her place of employment in Freehold Township, DiAiso said.

The investigation revealed that Cilia had been in contact with employees at the Hispanic Affairs and Resource Center in the borough.

Amor Salguero, the branch manager of the resource center, said Cilia had come to the center on Dec. 10 to ask for help in finding her child. Salguero said she translated the document that Cilia brought from her apartment.

"She was shocked, upset and very, very frightened," Salguero said. "She didn’t understand that she had done something wrong."

The branch manager said Cilia was not aware of the laws that regulate the safety of children in New Jersey. According to Salguero, Cilia had been at a friend’s house and left her child in the care of two men who lived in the apartment downstairs from hers.

Police said that upon questioning later, the two men denied having accepted responsibility for watching Cilia’s child.

Salguero said she tried to make Cilia understand that what she had done was wrong and prepare her for what she was about to face. She said the officials at the resource center are attempting to locate relatives to care for the child in Cilia’s absence. She said she is aware of a brother who lives in New Jersey.

Officials at the resource center are also trying to find a way to retain a public defender and raise funds to help pay Cilia’s $20,000 bail.

DiAiso said the child’s grandparents have been interviewed by police in order to determine their suitability to care for the child.

— Clare Marie Celano