By Marlene LenthangNBC
News
Three New Jersey women have been arrested, accused of abusing a 13-year-old girl by putting an electric dog collar on her to shock her and depriving her of food and clothing.
The teen reported being collared when she was 9 years old and in the fourth grade, according to a probable cause affidavit from the Camden County District Attorney's Office.
The three women, from Stratford Township and not named by NBC News to protect the girl's identity, are
42, 22 and 20 years old.
They have been charged with aggravated assault and child neglect.
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A neighbor called police on March 1 to report the girl discovering her wearing the dog collar, according to the affidavit.
Karen Villec, of Stratford Township, told NBC Philadelphia that the girl came to her door screaming and crying.
"My doorbell is ringing frantically and I open the door and [she] says, '
Help me! Help me! Help me! I'm getting shocked!'
she stated.
“And since I'm confused, I see the dog's collar, she puts it in my hand.
And I said, 'Is your dog lost?'
And she says, 'No!
No!
They're shocking me!'
and she showed marks on her neck,” she recounted.
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Stratford police discovered that "she had marks on her neck consistent with wearing the collar," according to the affidavit.
She was taken to Jefferson Stratford Hospital to be evaluated for other injuries.
The New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency was notified and removed the girl from the residence after she was discharged from the hospital.
The girl revealed to police that the 20-year-old woman put the necklace around her neck and gave her an electric shock "multiple times" and "has done this in the past," according to the affidavit.
When contacted by police, the 42-year-old woman at the home denied knowing anything about the shock collar.
"He saved our lives."
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In a police interview with the girl, she revealed that the 20-year-old woman first put the necklace on her when she was in fourth grade and detailed accounts in which the 42-year-old and 22-year-old women had also used the necklace as a form of punishment,.
In addition, she detailed occasions when she was deprived of "adequate amounts of food and clothing comforts."
The women denied the allegations, according to the affidavit.
A witness who lives at the same residence also revealed to police that he observed the dog shock collar used on the girl many times in the past as a form of punishment when she behaved "badly," according to charging documents.
Stratford Police Department Chief Ronald Morello said the women remain at the Camden County Correctional Center awaiting a detention hearing.