CAPE MAY – A mother and grandmother, both Cape May residents, were arrested in connection with a child abuse case in which they allegedly used an electric dog shock collar on two children.

Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and Cape May Police Chief Dekon Fashaw on March 20 announced the arrest of Kimberly Cruz-Feliciano, 30, and Sonia Feliciano, 59, both residents of Broad Street Court.

According to the press release announcing the arrest, on Monday, March 17, the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit and the Cape May Police Department launched a joint investigation after a report that a child arrived at school with visible body marks.

Further investigation revealed that the marks were the result of an electric dog shock collar. Investigators also learned Cruz-Feliciano threatened the victims with more violence if they disclosed the ongoing abuse.

As a result of the investigation, the mother of the victims, Kimberly Cruz-Feliciano, was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child; two counts of second-degree aggravated assault; one count of first-degree witness tampering with threat of force and one third-degree count of hindering.

She was lodged at the Cape May County Correctional Center pending further court proceedings.

Sonia Felciano, the maternal grandmother, was charged with one fourth-degree count of hindering and one fourth-degree count of tampering with evidence. She was released on a summons pending court proceedings.

If convicted of a first-degree crime, a defendant faces a potential prison sentence ranging from 10 to 20 years.

Sutherland urged anyone with additional information about the case to contact the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit at 609-465-1135 or to submit an anonymous tip through the Prosecutor’s Office’s website at cmcpo.tips.