TRENTON, N.J. — A Robbinsville woman has been arrested and charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a child following the death of a 5-year-old girl in her care, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday.
Raphaelle Register, 36, was taken into custody on Monday, a day after Robbinsville Township Police responded to a home where they found the unresponsive child. The girl was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton on Sunday evening, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Key Points
- Raphaelle Register, 36, is charged with four counts of child endangerment after a 5-year-old girl in her care died.
- Two other children, ages 8 and 12, were also allegedly left unattended and neglected.
- The child’s cause of death is pending autopsy and toxicology results.
Police say children were left without care, food, or medical attention
According to the prosecutor’s criminal complaint, Register had legal custody of three children—two 5-year-olds, an 8-year-old, and a 12-year-old—and allegedly left them unattended. Prosecutors allege she failed to properly feed or provide medical care to the children, potentially causing harm or neglect.
“The complaint further states that she failed to adequately feed and nourish the five-year-olds and provide access to necessary medical treatment,” the office of Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey said.
Authorities have not released the names or conditions of the other children involved, or disclosed their current custody status.
The Middlesex Regional Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on Monday, but the official cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
Prosecutor moves to detain Register ahead of trial
The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to keep Register in custody pending trial. Officials did not specify whether she has obtained legal representation or entered a plea.
The death and alleged neglect remain under active investigation by both the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the Robbinsville Township Police Department.
Officials said additional charges may be filed depending on the results of the ongoing medical and forensic examinations.
Death investigation continues amid pending medical findings
Further testing and toxicology will determine whether the death will be classified as accidental, natural, or homicide. No timeline was provided for completion of those results.
Register remains in custody awaiting a court appearance in Mercer County.
