Caretaker charged after children found unattended at Morris County playground, police say
DENVILLE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — A Jefferson woman has been charged with child neglect after two young children were allegedly found crying and unattended at a playground in Denville Township, authorities said.
Police responded to Gardner Field around 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, after receiving a report that a two-year-old and a five-year-old had been discovered alone in a corner of the playground. Responding officers located the children and launched an investigation into their circumstances.
According to Denville police, the children’s caretaker, identified as Anna Masuk, 40, had “accidentally” left them at the park for an extended period. When Masuk returned to the scene, officers observed that she was responsible for several additional children, some of whom were improperly secured in her vehicle without appropriate child restraint seats.
Masuk was arrested at the scene and charged with child neglect and failure to use a child passenger restraint. She was processed and released pending a future court appearance.
