Lumberton elected official pleads guilty to child abuse, DUI
Under terms imposed by the court, LaPlaca, the city's former mayor, was admitted into the state’s Pretrial Intervention program for first-time offenders.
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A member of the Lumberton Township Committee was sentenced to three years of supervision under a diversionary program after pleading guilty to child abuse and drunken driving, authorities said.
Gina LaPlaca, 46, admitted in Superior Court in Mount Holly to a child abuse charge and driving under the influence, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.
Under terms imposed by the court, LaPlaca, the city's former mayor, was admitted into the state’s Pretrial Intervention program for first-time offenders.
She must continue attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and comply with any requirements imposed by the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, prosecutors said.
Failure to meet the program’s conditions could result in her removal from PTI and prosecution on the criminal charge, authorities said.
RELATED: Lumberton mayor faces charges after alleged drunk driving with child
LaPlaca also was ordered to maintain an ignition interlock device on her vehicle. She told the court she voluntarily installed the device in October 2025 and submitted proof that she completed an outpatient alcohol treatment program.
She previously completed and was discharged from an intensive treatment program in May 2025, according to officials.
The charges originate from a March 2025 incident in which another motorist reported LaPlaca's vehicle swerving across the centerline and almost hitting oncoming traffic.
Prosecutors said LaPlaca admitted she had been drinking before picking up her son from day care on St. Patrick’s Day last year.
Officers with the Lumberton Township Police Department took LaPlaca into custody at her home after reviewing video recorded by the motorist, officials said.
An investigation determined LaPlaca’s blood alcohol concentration was .30%. A driver in the state is considered legally intoxicated with a BAC of .08% or higher.
