About

The New Jersey Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board (Board) resides within the department but is independent of the department. It was established by the New Jersey Comprehensive Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CCAPTA). The Board reviews child fatalities and near fatalities to identify their causes, relationship to governmental support systems, and methods of prevention.

The Board is multi-disciplinary and membership consists of ex-officio members and six public members with expertise or experience in child abuse appointed by the Governor. Four Regional Community-Based Review Teams operate under the aegis of the Board and its composition mirrors that of the Board. The Board also functions as a citizen review panel and conducts monthly meetings that are by invitation only.

Dr. Laura Brennan, M.D.
Chair
Pediatrics Center for Children Support School of Osteopathic Medicine


Dr. Elayne Weitz, Ph.D.
Co-chair
Psychologist


Lea DeGuilo
Assistant Section Chief- DCF North


Kathleen Lyons-Boswick, Esq. BSN, RN (ret)
Supervising Assistant Prosecutor
Essex County Prosecutor’s Office


Robyne Jiles, MSW
Assistant Director of DCP&P Central Operations
Division of Child Protection and Permanency
Department of Children and Families


Brian Ross
Assistant Commissioner for Legal and Regulatory Affairs
Division of Child Protection and Permanency
Department of Children and Families


Alex X Zhang, MD
Acting Chief State Medical Examiner
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner


Bethany D’Amelio
Executive Coordinator
New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect
Department of Children and Families


Adam Brozek
Detective Sergeant First Class
New Jersey State Police
Major Crime North Unit


Jennifer A. Pax, PhD, JD, MSW, LCSW
New Jersey City University


Nichole Lane
Deputy Public Defender
Office of Law Guardian


Nancy Scotto-Rosato
Department of Health and Senior Services

Lenore Scott, LSW
Assistant Division Director
Office of Early Childhood Services
NJ Dept. of Children & Families


Susan Fiorilla, MSW
Supervising Family Service Specialist I
Division of Child Protection & Permanency
Burlington West Local Office


Genevieve Lalanne-Raymond
Lead Maternal and Child Health Epidemiologist
NJ Department of Health


Katie Magee – Lee
Prosecutor
Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office


Alissa K. Sandler, MSW, LCSW
Manager, Pediatric Social Work
Hackensack Meridian Children's Health at Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital


Nichole Lane
Deputy Public Defender
Office of Law Guardian


Frederick J. DiCarlo, MD, PhD
Deputy Medical Examiner
Morris Tri-County Medical Examiner’s Office


Kimberly DeNick, MD
Advocare Pediatrics


Matthew Maguire
EMS Medical Direction Coordinator
Cooper University Health Care

Andrew L. Falzon, MD
State Medical Examiner
Office of the State Medical Examiner


Mary F Beirne, MS, EdD, M.D., DFAPA
Dept of Children and Families, Rutgers


Melinda P. Carnassale
Deputy Director
Children’s System of Care
NJ Dept of Children & Families


Jennie Blakney, M.A., Ed
Child and Adolescent Health Program Manager
New Jersey Department of Health


Michelle Scott, Ph.D., M.S.W.
Professor, School of Social Work
Director, SRF Suicide Prevention Research and Training Project
Monmouth University


Suzy Azevedo
Principal
Edgar Middle School


Maureen A. Brogan, LPC, ACS, DAAETS
Program Director
Rutgers Health, Traumatic Loss Coalition


Iris Moore
Camden North Local Office Manager
Child Protection and Permanency


Marisol Garces
MSW, LSW
Local Office Manager
DCF- Division of Child Protection and Permanency


Susan M. L. Paredes
Teacher, School Administrator
Metuchen Public Schools

Jennifer Romalin, RN, MSN, APN
Chair
Hackensack University Medical Center – AHCH


Jeffrey Conrad
Prosecutor
Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office


Christopher Schellhorn
Chief Assistant Prosecutor (Tactical Division)
Morris County Prosecutor’s Office


Javier M. Toro
Captain of Detectives
Special Victims Unit
Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor


Wendy Crossan Ricci, Esq.
Staff Attorney, Office of the Law Guardian
Asst. Deputy Public Defender


Sandra Parente
Department of Child Protection and Permanency
County Service Specialist for the DCPP Bergen and Hudson Area Office


Karen Eigen, MD, MPH
Attending Physician, Pediatric Emergency Department
Hackensack Medical Center
Assistant Professor, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine


Di Wang, MD, PhD. MA
American board certified Pathologist and board certified Forensic Pathologist
Morris Tri-County Medical Examiner

Gladibel Medina, MD, CAP
Chair
Medical Director, DBH CPC


Dr. Francesco Pontoriero, DO
Pediatric Forensic Pathologist
Assistant Medical Examiner
Middlesex Regional Medical Examiner’s Office


Laura Badilla, MSW
Department of Child Protection and Permanency
H/M/S/W Area Office


Laura Johnson, PhD, MSW
Temple University


Patricia Soffer, Esq.
Assistant Deputy Public Defender – Law Guardian attorney
Office of Law Guardian


Kari A. Mastro, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Director of Practice, Innovation and Research at Penn Medicine
Faculty at the University of Pennsylvania
Penn Medicine Princeton Health


Porsha Moody, MPA
Program Manager/State Coordinator for Child Passenger Safety (CPS) & Safe Kids New Jersey

Dr. Laura Brennan, M.D.
Chair
Pediatrics
Center for Children Support School of Osteopathic Medicine


Ian Hood, MB, ChB, JD
Medical Examiner
Burlington County


Kristin Nanette Briggs, Esq.
Assistant Deputy Public Defender
Office of the Law Guardian
Southeast Region


Jacqueline Forss
Case Practice Liaison
Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem Area
Division of Child Protection and Permanency
Department of Children and Families


Jill Ditalia – Clark
Casework Supervisor
Camden North
Division of Child Protection and Permanency
Department of Children and Families


Frank Sabella, M.S.
Detective Sergeant
Cumberland Co. Prosecutor's Office


John H. Flammer
Chief Counsel to the Prosecutor
Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office


Sergeant Chad Meyers
Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office
Special Victims Unit

The New Jersey Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board (Board) resides within the department but is independent of the department. It was established by the New Jersey Comprehensive Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CCAPTA). The Board reviews child fatalities and near fatalities to identify their causes, relationship to governmental support systems, and methods of prevention.

The Board is multi-disciplinary and membership consists of ex-officio members and six public members with expertise or experience in child abuse appointed by the Governor. Four Regional Community-Based Review Teams operate under the aegis of the Board and its composition mirrors that of the Board. The Board also functions as a citizen review panel and conducts monthly meetings that are by invitation only.

Five Year Case Review of 2016 to 2020 Data - Posted June, 2025

Annual Case Review of 2019 Data - Posted on May, 2024

Annual Case Review of 2018 Data - Posted on April, 2023

Annual Case Review of 2017 Data - Posted on January, 2021

Annual Case Review of 2016 Data - Posted on December, 2018

Annual Case Review of 2015 Data - Posted October, 2017

Annual Case Review of 2014 Data
- Posted October, 2016

Annual Case Review of 2013 Data - Posted December 2015 

Annual Case Review of 2012 Data -
Posted October, 2015

Annual Case Review of 2011 Data -
Posted November, 2014 

Annual Case Review of 2010 Data -
Posted February, 2013 

Annual Case Review of 2009 Data -
Posted September, 2011

Annual Case Review of 2008 Data -
Posted December, 2010

Annual Case Review of 2007 Data -
Posted 08/24/2009

Annual Case Review of 2006 Data -
Posted 06/30/2008

Annual Case Review of 2005 Data -
Posted 06/30/2007