A Robbinsville woman has been charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a child after a 5-year-old girl was found unresponsive and later died.
An investigation by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the Robbinsville Township Police Department led to the arrest of Raphaelle Register, 36, according to an announcement by Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta . Marbrey and Robbinsville Police Chief William G. Swanhart.
On the evening of April 27, Robbinsville police responded to a township residence after receiving a report of an unresponsive child.
The 5-year-old girl was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, where she was pronounced dead a short time later.
The death reportedly occurred at the Freedom Village housing apartment complex on Ravens Road in Town Center South.
Register was charged on April 28 with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain her pending trial.
According to the criminal complaint, Register had a legal duty to care for two 5-year-olds, an 8-year-old, and a 12-year-old, all of whom she allegedly left unattended.
The complaint also alleges that Register failed to adequately feed and nourish the two 5-year-olds and did not provide necessary medical care, resulting in abuse or neglect.
An autopsy was conducted April 28 by the Middlesex Regional Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause and manner of the child’s death are pending further testing and investigation.
