A 41-year-old Hoboken man has been charged with child endangerment after Hoboken ESU, Hudson County SWAT, and other agencies were called to a house in the 700 block of Garden Street Oct. 16.
According to a press release from the Hoboken Police Department, on Friday, Oct. 16 Hoboken police received reports of a possible endangered family on the 700 block of Garden Street in Hoboken.
Hoboken police officers as well as other agencies, including the Department of Children Protection and Permanency and Mobile Crisis made initial attempts to contact the family.
At approximately 2:30 p.m., Hoboken police began a second round of attempts to communicate with the family.
“Within an hour, a determination was made to attempt to enter the building based on the information officers had at hand,” states a press release from the HPD. “Once the Hoboken Police Dept attempted to enter the door, it was determined that there were multiple people inside the home.”
The Emergency Services Unit team stopped their entry, and crisis and hostage negotiators from the Hudson County Regional Swat Team were called to the scene.
Negotiators and Hoboken Police Lieutenant Melissa Gigante were initially unable to make contact with others inside. However, one adult female was safely removed from the house at approximately 3:30 p.m.
At that time, it was unknown what was transpiring inside the building, but it was confirmed that a 5-year-old boy was still inside.
The Hudson County Regional Swat Team was then deployed to the scene as Hoboken ESU remained around the building.
After several hours and multiples attempts to make communication with an adult man inside, law enforcement decided to make entry into the house.
Shortly before 7 p.m., the Hudson County Regional SWAT team entered the house and safely removed the boy who appeared to have been unharmed physically.
The SWAT team also took a 41-year old man into custody without injury to him or any law enforcement officer.
The unnamed man is charged with Second Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and the 5-year-old is in the custody of his mother.
According to Police Chief Ken Ferrante, the name of the individual arrested can not be released as “We are not allowed to divulge the name in domestic violence, child abuse, or juvenile cases as per AG guidelines.”
”I would like to thank the Hoboken Police Department’s School Resource Officers under Lieutenant Melissa Gigante, and Sergeants Chris LaBruno and David Olivera, the Hoboken Police Dept’s Patrol officers and ESU team under the supervision of Sgt. Luke Zeszotarski, the Hoboken Police Detectives under Capt. Gino Jacobelli, and especially Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, her staff, and the Hudson County Regional SWAT team for the collaboration today which made a highly complicated, concerning, and potentially dangerous situation result in a safe recovery of a 5-year-old boy and successful apprehension of a male, without injury to anyone!,” stated Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante. “The creation of the Hudson County Regional SWAT team by Prosecutor Suarez, once again results in a peaceful and successful ending due to the skills, training, and leadership of this team!”
Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla stated that he two was grateful for law enforcement for “going above and beyond responding to the scene of a highly dangerous situation tonight. Thanks to their quick and provisional response, all individuals are physically safe. My thoughts are with the victims of the unfortunate incident.”
The unidentified man is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
