Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office

                                 25 Kirkpatrick Street, 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901 (732) 745-3300

 

                                *News Release*           Date: February 25, 2010
 
 

       

 

 

 

 

 

Edison man arrested on kidnapping, endangerment charges

 

 

Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan announced today that an Edison, N.J. man has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a 20-month-old child, who was abandoned at a gas station in Newark, Del. over the weekend.

 

Dwayne Jackson (DOB 10/28/84) was charged today in Middlesex County and is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick, N.J. in lieu of $750,000 bail, which was set by Superior Court Judge Dennis Nieves in New Brunswick, N.J.

 

In addition, police in Newark, Del. charged Jackson today with a count of first degree reckless endangering for leaving the child at a Shell service station on South College Avenue in Newark, Del. on February 21, 2010.

 

Charges were filed following an investigation by Newark, Del. police, who responded to a call after the child was discovered in a bathroom at the station at 2:42 p.m. on February 21.

 

The child subsequently was identified as Jackson’s daughter after the toddler’s photograph was published by the news media.

 

The child, who was living with her mother in North Brunswick, N.J., currently is in good health and is in the custody of the Division of Family Services in Delaware.

 

The identity of the child’s mother is being withheld at this time due to the on-going nature of the investigation.

 

Prosecutor Kaplan commended the Newark, Del. Police Department for its quick work to identify the child and assist authorities in Middlesex County with the investigation.

 

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Detective Michael McGinn of the North Brunswick Police Department at (732) 545-3200, or Investigator Paul Miller of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4466.

 

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Jackson are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.