Voice Recognition Technology: Why Alexa Succeeds

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(January 15, 2020)–I

t would be understandable to think that voice recognition does not have too much of a place in the realm of modern technology. While it would be nice to have, it is understandable to think that it might be more of a nuisance than anything. When compared to something such as touch technology, voice recognition might be seen as more of a luxury than a necessity. However, Alexa has continued to prove that voice recognition has a place in today’s world and has so far exceeded expectations.

With the help of

Alexa skill development

and a bit of creativity, Alexa has become known as the premier voice assistant – and for a good reason! One of the technological standards that helps Alexa in its rise to stardom is the modern app, as the tech behind

Amazon Alexa skill development

allows it to fully integrate and be used in ways that continue to surprise.

A boon in marketing and more

One of the most successful uses of Alexa involves skill development in stain removal, with the help of Tide. Not only will Alexa help you in ridding yourself of hundreds of different varieties of stains, but it will also suggest the best types of products to help you achieve your goals. Since we have all had to deal with stains at one point or another, it is a convenient way of utilising Alexa, and it simultaneously markets Tide products to create the perfect storm of marketing.

As if that was not enough,

Alexa for business

is something that is still seen as relatively untapped. There are still plenty of potential ways to utilise Alexa for business, such as the use of business software between departments.

A joy to have at home

Aside from Alexa’s uses in business, its primary function is to be used in the household. It can integrate with other apps to aid you in providing as much convenience as possible. Are you looking to stream your favourite shows or videos? What about gaming? Alexa has your back!

What is surprising about Alexa in the household is it can be utilised in many creative ways. For example, it is entirely possible for an Alexa skill to be used in controlling the lighting or the temperature in your home. You can transform your humble abode into the house of tomorrow!

A world of untapped potential

The best part is that when it comes to what Alexa can do, it is still relatively untapped. The limits to Alexa’s uses in today’s world are only limited by the imagination of those who utilise its skills and features. While voice recognition might not necessarily be seen as necessary when compared to touch technology or apps, Alexa’s potential could very well hold the future.

Without a doubt, Alexa succeeds because she is making use of convenience instead of a gimmick. Instead of burdening us with more to do, she offers a more natural way to get the job done!

Image:

https://pixabay.com/photos/pokemon-pokemon-go-phone-game-1553989/

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania Announce New Push to Fight Medicaid Fraud

By Steve Bittenbender |

The Center Square

HARRISBURG, PA–Pennsylvania lawmakers and the state’s Attorney General’s office announced on Monday they’re teaming up to fight waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicaid system.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers will sponsor bills in both the House and Senate aimed at protecting the health insurance program for 2.7 million of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents. The proposals come nearly nine months after a state grand jury released its recommendations to curb fraudulent claims from siphoning funding from the public program.

“This is a nonpartisan issue that brings people together to solve a challenge,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said at a Monday news conference in Harrisburg.

The proposals include a bill that would create a state version of the federal False Claims Act, which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) uses to recoup fraudulent Medicare expenditures. Shapiro said Pennsylvania is the only state among the top eight Medicaid spending states that does not have a False Claims Act on the books.

That means while the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in Shapiro’s office was able to make 292 arrests, get 173 convictions and reclaim $34 million in taxpayer funds in 2017 and 2018, it was not able to reclaim all the funding it could have.

State Rep. Seth Grove, R-York, will sponsor the House bill that will allow the state, as part of national settlements, to regain an additional 10 percent in funds for false claims made against the state’s Medicaid program. It will also allow Shapiro’s office or a district attorney appointed by the attorney general to look into cases where fraudulent or other improper claims may have been submitted.

State Sen. Lindsay Williams, D-Allegheny, will sponsor a similar bill in the Senate.

“I applaud Attorney General Shapiro for bringing to light the glaring problems our Medicaid program faces. Every misspent or fraudulently used dollar is another dollar hardworking taxpayers have to make up for,” Grove said.

Also among the bills is a proposal state Rep. Tommy Sankey will sponsor that requires any Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) to enter into an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and allow the state to recoup any Medicaid funding that paid for such erroneous services.

Among the money misspent includes $43 million approved by MCOs for what the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deems as “provider preventable conditions.” That would include cases where mistakes were made, such as the removal of the wrong appendage during an amputation.

In addition, state Rep. Wendi Thomas will also file legislation that would make knowing or causing a fraudulent claim to be file a crime. Any claim over $2,000 would be a third-degree felony, with claims valued at $100,000 or more becoming a second-degree felony.

published here with permission of The Center Square

Sewell Resident Barbara Glass Honored as Volunteer of the Year

Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice’s Andrea Kinsey, Volunteer Coordinator; Barbara Glass, Volunteer of the Year; and Linda Brennan, Volunteer Coordinator at the Volunteer Center of South Jersey’s Spirit of Community celebration. Glass was awarded the 9th Annual Volunteer of the Year Award for her volunteer efforts with Samaritan.

Marlton, NJ –

Barbara Glass of Sewell, N.J. was recently honored with the 9

Annual Volunteer of the Year Award through her volunteer efforts with Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice. The Volunteer of the Year Award, given by the Volunteer Center of South Jersey (VCSJ), is one of the most prestigious not-for-profit awards in the South Jersey community and provides not-for-profit organizations like Samaritan the opportunity to highlight a volunteer for outstanding contribution to the organization. The award was presented to Glass during VCSJ’s Spirit of Community celebration.

Glass, a retiree, has been a volunteer with Samaritan since 2011, visiting with patients receiving hospice and palliative care from Samaritan. Glass has also stepped up to take on the responsibility of serving as a vigil volunteer, spending time with patients and during their final hours and comforting their families.

“Visiting hospice patients can be a difficult but tremendously important task. Not everyone can do it,” says Mary Ann Boccolini, President and CEO of Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice. “The entire Samaritan team is lucky to be able to rely on Barbara’s strength and compassion. She brings comfort and dignity to our patients, and I cannot think of anyone else more deserving of this reward.”

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, contact Sally Cezo, Director of Volunteer Services at 856-552-3235.

Barbara Glass (center) and her family and friends enjoyed the 2019 Volunteer Center of South Jersey’s Spirit of Community celebration, where Glass was honored as Volunteer of the Year for her volunteer efforts with Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice.

About Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice:

Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian, independent organization locally founded in Moorestown, New Jersey in 1980. Samaritan is the regional leader for hospice care, palliative (comfort) medicine, grief support and counseling, end-of-life education, and advocacy. Samaritan serves people in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer counties who are coping with the stresses of aging, serious illness or grief in their homes, assisted-living, or nursing home communities and through two inpatient hospice centers: The Samaritan Center at Mt. Holly and The Samaritan Center at Voorhees. Two thrift shops, in Westmont and Pitman, support Samaritan services and programs. Samaritan is accredited by The Joint Commission; a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO); the Home Care & Hospice Association of New Jersey; and is a four-star-level hospice in NHPCO’s We Honor Veterans program, created in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For more information, visit

www.SamaritanNJ.org

Introduction to Online Casinos

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(January 15, 2020)–Gambling is typically considered as a zero-gravity area from where the chances for a surge and a plummet are equal. Time and technology have redefined casinos as the space of unlimited entertainment, and it gradually materialized into the screens as well. For as long as the urge for thriving fortune exists within humans, casinos will stand high in the zone of factors that shoot up the economy. As online casinos are getting more players to the platform without the need for exhibiting live casino etiquettes, doors to the live casinos are gradually closing down. Although this trend has been spreading for a long time now, it is quite sporadic. Polarising views on the concept of casinos have been developed, and the groups that prefer the online platforms are increasing day by day.

Playing on online casinos would seem like a difficult task to take up, and many of the regular players are neophobic towards this idea. Familiarizing with every new technology has been imperative, so is the case of online casinos. Delving deeper into a subject wouldn’t be as hard as getting it started. Every aspiring player needs to learn the basics of the games and the platforms on which they are planning to begin their gambling career.

Fundamentals

Here are a few essential details that every player needs to know before stepping into the game.

The overall experience is what matters the most, and the bets that you place should never affect your financial stability. Luck is a result of the randomness of the entire game that takes place, and in the case of online casinos, this factor of randomness is produced artificially. Random number generators are computer programs that are used for this purpose.

The security and fairness at online casinos are of great concern for the players. Since the digital platforms hold a high number of frauds and scams, the apprehension towards signing into these would be as equally high. But the online casinos have been programmed in such a way that they do not conduct unfair games or stay biased to a certain group of players. Security has also been ensured by these platforms, which has ensued in the massive footfalls.

Most of the casinos prefer to use third-party software to run their games, and the three types of software that are used are the downloadable, instant, and mobile versions.

Incentives are always motivators, and no one refuses to accept it. In online casinos, various types of bonuses are provided to the players at the time of signing up. Additional funds to play the games and chips to enter it are usually offered as sign-up bonuses. Many sites necessitate an initial payment for the rewards, whereas a few other casinos provide it free of cost.

Choosing the Best Online Casino

Selecting a particular online casino is never as easy as reading through the list. The ones that are ranked on the top might not be the ones that please you the most. Your priorities matter the most when narrowing down to that one site, which makes that particular option the best. While some casinos prove to be ideal for poker, some others support blackjack. Ignition, Betonline, and Bovada are some of the best online poker sites

according to this website

. The player has to decide on which casino site to be selected for his/her game. Best is, therefore, a subjective term here, and it would be the site that meets your needs that turn out to be the best one. Make sure to check the geographical restrictions of the site, so that you don’t choose the one that isn’t available in your state/country. So, pick the right option rather than the best one.

Conclusion

Online casinos have been witnessing immense growth for the past few years, and this has generated an urge to jump into gambling without a second thought. Acquire the necessary information about such online platforms before leaping into the game, so that you play the game safely.

Camden City Initiative Wins Nationwide Competition

Secures $500,000 in Grants to Improve Residents’ Health

New \”Roots to Prevention\” initiative will expand healthy food choices for residents

and increase income opportunities for urban farmers

The kick-off team for the Roots to Prevention initiative, from left: Nicole Vaughn, PhD, of Rowan University; Koren Norwood, MS, CHES®, of Camden County Department of Health and Human Services; Jonathan Wetstein of Parkside Business and Community in Partnership (PBCIP); April Schetler, MS, RD, of Virtua Health; Bridget Phifer of PBCIP; and Greg Mayers, MPH, of Virtua Health.

Camden City, N.J. — January 14, 2020 — A Camden group has won a national grant competition that will increase both healthy food options and income opportunities for city residents.

Roots to Prevention Partnership (RTP)

recently secured the

BUILD Health Challenge® award

. RTP is among 18 awardees nationwide, selected from more than 130 applicants.

The award includes a $250,000 grant — plus a $250,000 matching contribution of cash and in-kind support from

Virtua Health

— to implement a new healthy-food access program. The award will support free and low-cost produce for eligible Camden residents, nutrition education, and city produce farming.

The BUILD Health Challenge aims to reduce health inequities in U.S. communities. It is funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and other prominent organizations.

RTP’s long-term goals are to improve Camden’s food environment and create sustainable solutions. The group’s core partners include Parkside Business & Community in Partnership (PBCIP), Virtua Health, Camden County, Rowan University, The Food Trust, and the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers.

“This award will enable us to encourage local health care providers to purchase produce grown in their communities,” saidBridget Phifer, executive director of PBCIP. “It will help us reduce hunger and the prevalence of diet-related illnesses while also supporting job creation, land redevelopment, and economic revitalization.”

“This is a visionary initiative, and we’re thrilled to support it,” said Dennis W. Pullin, FACHE, president and CEO of Virtua Health, South Jersey’s largest health system. “Social and economic factors have a huge impact on people’s health. The RTP initiative will address the roots of these issues to help the people of Camden live healthier, happier lives.”

RTP will also form a committee of Camden residents to provide insights and help guide the program, such as identifying the challenges residents face in accessing healthy foods.

Improving nutrition, supporting economic growth

The $500,000 in awards will partially fund these key activities for two-plus years:

Launch the “Food Bucks Rx” program at

Virtua Health’s Camden Campus

, to provide vouchers that can be redeemed for fruits and vegetables.

Establish six Food Bucks Rx (FBRx) redemption sites in Camden, to expand access to healthy foods and other program benefits — such as cooking demonstration and health screenings.

Create income opportunities for local food growers by supplementing the FBRx food supply with locally grown produce via an expanded Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Collect and analyze data on these initiatives to measure their effectiveness and develop long-term solutions that promote economic development through urban farming as well as cultivate a healthier food environment in Camden.

“This is what community health is all about: neighbors taking care of neighbors,” said April Schetler, assistant VP of community health engagement at Virtua Health. “Virtua is deeply committed to the health and wellness of the communities we serve. We are extremely proud to be a part of this movement, and grateful to the BUILD Health Challenge for its support of the RTP initiative.”

RTP will now be able to connect food-growing organizations throughout Camden with a major new customer: Virtua Health’s Food as Medicine programs, including the

Virtua Mobile Farmers Market

and

Virtua Food Pantry

Camden City residents work in a city produce garden, which will participate in the Roots to Prevention program. From left are Mike Evans (tan jacket), Cortez Bazan (orange shirt), and Jose Torres (black shirt)

Phifer of PBCIP also expressed appreciation for another important partner: Campbell Soup. “If it weren’t for the generous support of the Campbell Soup Company, this cross-sectoral collaboration could not have come together and ultimately completed a successful grant application — now awarded,” she said.

“RTP believes in the health care sector’s capacity to support a healthy local food economy,” added RTP administrator Jonathan Wetstein. “We also recognize the need to bring more partners to the table. The more RTP grows, the more resources and opportunities exist for local food growers and food-prescription recipients to participate in the future of urban farming and ultimately improve community health.”

About the BUILD Health Challenge

BUILD is a national program that supports partnerships between community-based organizations, health departments, and hospitals/health systems that are working to address important health issues in their community. Each community collaborative addresses root causes of chronic disease (also known as social determinants of health) in their local area by leveraging multisector partnerships and working with their local community. To date, BUILD has supported 55 projects in 24 states and Washington, DC.

BUILD stands for Bold, Upstream, Integrated, Local, and Data-Driven, which together form a powerful model to transform community health. The BUILD Health Challenge award provides funding, capacity-building support, and access to a national peer learning network to enhance collaborative partnerships locally and address a city’s most pressing health challenges.

How to Solve Small Business Cashflow Problems

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(January 15, 2020)–The wheel of fortune is a fickle mistress and regardless of how well your business is performing today, tomorrow may bring any number of unexpected hazards and unforeseen encumbrances to challenge your business acumen and your business bank balance. Balancing the books is hard enough for a small business, and so it pays to be prepared for tough times and armed with a strategy for dealing with potential cashflow hiccups as they arise. When times are good and money is flowing freely, that’s a good time to start planning for the unexpected, so that in the event of a financial downturn in your fortunes, you can keep things on track. In this article, we look at a few of the ways you can solve these cashflow problems.

Be better at building a budget for your business

When you are enjoying a successful period, it’s tempting to pay little attention to your budget, keeping only a rudimentary spreadsheet at which you’ll occasionally give a cursory glance every now and then, safe in the knowledge that there’s more than enough coming in to deal with what’s going out. Unfortunately, without a

sensible budget

in place, it can be very tricky to cater for all those new tools, expensive staff parties, and costly resources. Should a downturn occur, this could leave you chasing your tail looking for ways to pay that VAT bill and your corporation tax on tie. There’s nothing like a fine from HMRC to make you wish you’d budgeted more carefully. Preventative maintenance is a great way to solve cash flow problems before they start.

Consider a short-term loan to keep your business running

A sensible short-term loan can be an excellent and productive way of keeping all your business-critical processes moving forwards when cash flow is poor and you would otherwise not be able to afford to keep the business afloat. You could consider liquidating stock or perhaps dip into some savings or even borrow money from a family member or willing business investor. If you’d rather keep hold of your assets and not relinquish any control to a third-party investor, you might look at a short term loan from a reputable lender, such as

biz2credit

, so that there doesn’t need to be any interruption in your business-critical activities.

Engage with a more flexible working environment

Depending on what sort of business you are and what you deliver, you might be able to dispense with some significant costs altogether. Technology today allows for teams to be far more remote than they used to be, meaning that a physical office might not even be a requirement, saving your business a lot of money in the process. Making a move towards a remote working environment doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice productivity or quality of work either. Studies show that staff tends to be

more productive

when able to maintain a more flexible approach to their work-life balance.

With some sensible budgeting, a short-term business loan and a more flexible approach to your working conditions mean you should be able to deal with most cash flow problems.

Following Trump\’s Lead, Cape May County Republicans Rally to Van Drew

In the short time since he announced his intentions to join the Republican party, Congressman Jeff Van Drew has been warmly welcomed by an overwhelming majority of Cape May County Republicans. Following President Trump’s lead, elected officials at the county and local level have lined up in support of the incumbent

Republican’s re-election campaign.

“We now have an incumbent, Republican Congressman, endorsed by our Republican President,” CapeGop Chairman Marcus Karavan declared. “I plan to to follow our President’s lead and work hard to reelect Rep. Van Drew to the US Congress.”

At the County level, all five members of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, along with County Sheriff Robert Nolan and County Clerk Rita Fulginiti, have welcomed Van Drew to the fold and pledged to support his re-election.

Congressman Van Drew has been meeting with county and municipal elected officials over the last several weeks, stressing his long history of service to Cape May county and the many positions he has taken in support of the president’s agenda and the Republican party’s conservative platform.

Cape May County Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton pointed to many years of cooperation with Van Drew on important projects, working across party lines for the greater good.

“No matter his position or party, Jeff has looked to do good work and put politics aside,” Thornton said. “We have joked with him for years about crossing over and joining the party of common sense. Any past differences pale in comparison to the good work we can now accomplish as partners fighting for a better Cape May County.”

At the local level, Mayors, Committeeman and Council Members have been meeting with the Congressman, continuing a dialogue centered on infrastructure improvements, lower taxes, small business development and protecting citizens’ rights and freedoms. Several endorsements from local Republicans are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

“Despite some past political differences, we have always been able to work with Jeff, when it comes to helping the folks we represent,” Lower Township Mayor and Assemblyman-Elect Erik Simonsen said. “A united front of hard-working Republican leaders from top to bottom in our county will be critical if we are to truly push back against the progressive insanity that has infested the Democrat party, both in Trenton and Washington, DC.”

Middle Township Mayor and CapeGOP Second Vice-Chair Tim Donohue echoed Simonsen’s sentiments.

“Politically, we have battled Jeff Van Drew in the past, but every election is about the future,” Donohue said. “In speaking with the Congressman and his staff, I believe our visions for our county, state and country are very much aligned. On the issues that affect our quality of life locally and the principles that are most important to our voters, we stand on common ground.”

Congressman Van Drew stood as one of the few voices for common sense in the current Democrat party. When told by party bosses that he would lose their support if he dared to oppose impeachment, Van Drew stood on principle, voted NO on impeachment and left the party he no longer recognized as working for the best interests of the American people.

“Let’s be honest, my conservative positions often put me at odds with Democrat leadership,” Van Drew said. “After nearly a year in Washington, it became clear to me that the radical agenda of the far-left elements that now control the Democrat party is inflicting real damage on our country. Like the hard-working, common sense people in South Jersey, my views and vision for a better America are in line with President Trump’s plans to make America great again.”

The congressman officially announced his intentions to join the Republican party from the White House on December 20th with President Trump by his side.

“Jeff will be joining our growing Republican Party and has my full endorsement,” President Trump said in a December 20th tweet. “This is a big win for the GOP and a big win for South Jersey. South Jersey is Trump country, so I know all NJ Republicans will be join me in supporting Jeff Van Drew.”

###

6 Top Environmental Issues You Need to Worry About in 2020

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(January 15, 2020)–Most people are aware that the environment is changing; after all, it’s almost impossible to avoid all the new stories about climate change and how the ice caps are melting, and huge hurricanes are on the way. But how many people

really

understand what is happening to the natural world around them and the impact it will have on their future, not to mention their children’s future? Probably not that many.

That being said, the environmental issues that our world faces today are not going to suddenly disappear overnight. So, steps must be taken to try to tackle these problems head-on; unless people want the world that they know and love to be irrevocably changed forever. We can start by taking a look at the top six environmental issues that should be on everyone’s radar going into 2020.

The Expansion of Urban Areas

The world’s population is expanding at unfounded rates; people are living longer due to impressive developments in medical science, and the number of babies being born is not decreasing any time soon. This means that more housing is needed, which has led to contractors building more and more new developments, mainly by expanding urban areas.

What effect does this have on the environment? By covering the natural landscapes to concrete and bricks, contractors are interrupting the ground’s natural water cycle by stopping water from being absorbed into the ground, leading to

flooding

. Not to mention the fact that an increase in the number of homes being built leads to an increase in gas emissions, resulting in more air pollution.

An Increase in Waste

There are currently 2,000

active landfills

in the U.S., with the average person throwing out 4.4 pounds of trash a day. However, America is in danger of running out of space in their landfills in the next 15-20 years, and then where will the trash go?

Reducing the amount of waste that households throw away is vital, with every person needing to actively try to recycle or compost their waste whenever possible. With more people throwing out nearly twice as much waste compared to a few years ago – most of which is recyclable – the excessive landfills are posing a big risk to our climate.

Endangered Species

Did you know that one out of every 10 plant and animal species will be extinct by 2050? As our ecosystems continue to diminish, the list of endangered species will only continue to get longer; because where are these animals going to live if their habitats become lost? Who can forget the shocking and haunting image of a polar bear balancing on a small piece of ice in the middle of the ocean? We must work to avoid situations like this by supporting conservation efforts.

When we look at success stories of conservation efforts, such as the work being done by

Eric Mogensen

, CEO of Gulf Breeze Zoo, it becomes apparent that we need to do more to protect endangered species. Anyone can donate or volunteer for a conservation group to support this cause.

Climate Change

Whether you want to admit it or not, climate change is real, and it is happening right now, with a majority of experts stating that both natural and man-made greenhouse gasses are to blame. Greenhouse gasses impact so many elements of our planet, from wildlife habitats to the ocean to natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunamis. So, how can climate change be reduced?

There are, in fact, several actions that can be taken to reduce the threat of climate change. These include:

Building more sustainably

Using

renewable energy sources

Reducing waste

Reducing pollution

Deforestation

Around 15% of greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation, which might not seem like a huge amount but is still significant. And, as more rainforests are cut down for wood, this number is only set to increase.

Furthermore, what about all the animals and plants that live and thrive in the forests? What will happen to them when their homes are chopped down? It’s a vicious cycle where ecosystems are destroyed, species become endangered, and climate change continues to worsen.

Trees are needed to produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, so what will happen when all the forests have been cut down? Rather than waiting to see the negative effects this will have on our planet, we can stop cutting down trees, or at the very least, ensure that every time a tree is cut down, another one is planted in its place.

A Lack of Water

Running water is so simple in today’s developed world that you probably never thought about what would happen if there wasn’t any. However, there is currently a big problem with water scarcity across the globe, with an estimated 780 million people not having access to clean water, and it is most definitely not just a problem for underdeveloped countries.

Water can often become

contaminated

with diseases, toxins, or chemicals, making it unsafe to drink. Luckily, everyone can help with the issue of water shortage by simply being more mindful of the water that they use on a daily basis; for example, have a quick shower instead of a bath and don’t continuously run the tap when doing the washing up.

Saving the environment is not the job of some big corporation, nor is it down to just one man; everyone needs to do their part and start taking active steps in order to make a difference. Starting now.

Two Neptune Township Teenagers Plead Guilty in Newborn Killing

FREEHOLD – Two teens have pleaded guilty in connection with a March 2019 infanticide in Neptune Township, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Jada M. McClain, 18, of Neptune Township, pleaded guilty to first degree Aggravated Manslaughter. Quaimere Mohammed, 19, also of Neptune Township, pleaded guilty to second degree Disturbing or Desecrating Human Remains in connection with the death of a newborn baby.Under the terms of the plea agreement, Ms. McClain faces a sentence of 10 years in Prison on the Aggravated Manslaughter subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring her to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. Mr. Mohammed faces a sentence of 5 years in State Prison on the Disturbing or Desecrating Human Remains offense.

On April 4, 2019, the Asbury Park Police Department received a report that Jada McClain, a student at Neptune Township Regional High School, had recently given birth, and that the newborn was deceased. The investigation was referred to the Neptune Township Police Department who, together with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, launched an investigation into the matter.

The joint investigation revealed that McClain had become pregnant by her boyfriend, Quaimere Mohammed, a student at Asbury Park High School, sometime in July 2018. McClain explained to investigators that she hid the fact that she was pregnant from her parents and that she gave birth to a boy in the early morning hours of March 29, 2019, in her home. After giving birth to the child, McClain pressed her hands on the boy’s chest until he stopped breathing. McClain contacted Mohammed, and later that morning, the two disposed of the child’s body in a dumpster on Monroe Avenue in Asbury Park. Investigators later recovered surveillance video which captured Mohammed disposing of the child’s body near the Washington Village apartment complex.

Investigators learned that the contents of the dumpster, including the newborn’s remains, were transported to the Monmouth County Reclamation Center in Tinton Falls, where they were compacted and buried. The infant’s body was never recovered.

McClain and Mohammed are scheduled to appear in Superior Court for sentencing for their crimes before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge David F. Bauman on March 20. McClain remains incarcerated in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, where she has been detained since her arrest.

“This case is a horrible tragedy. An infant is dead and two young people are going to prison. None of this should have happened. Young persons who are not yet ready for parenthood need to understand that there are safe, legal and completely confidential ways to give up custody of a newborn,” said Gramiccioni.

On August 7, 2000, the New Jersey Safe Haven Infant Protection Act became law. The law allows a parent who is unable or unwilling to care for an infant to give up custody of a baby who is less than 30 days old, safely, legally and anonymously. All that is required is that the baby be brought to a hospital emergency room or police station in New Jersey. As long as the child shows no signs of intentional abuse, no names or other information is required from the person delivering the baby.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Joseph Competello and Stephanie Dugan. McClain is represented by Thomas Catley Esq. of Ocean Grove. Mohammed is represented by Stephen Nelson Esq., of Neptune Township.

GTPD Community Bulletin: Emergency Needs Preparedness Registry

Many people may need extra help during a time of emergency including people who:

• Use life support systems such as oxygen, respirator, ventilator, dialysis, pacemaker, or are insulin dependent;

• Have mobility disabilities and use a wheelchair, scooter, walker, cane, or other mobility device;

• Are visually impaired, blind, hard of hearing, or deaf;

• Have speech, cognitive, developmental or mental health disabilities; or

• Use assistive animals or prosthesis.

The Gloucester Township Police Department (GTPD) has created a voluntary Gloucester Township Emergency Preparedness Registry that will let police, fire and other first responders in our community better prepare for, and respond to your needs during a hurricane, storm or other major emergency.

The information submitted to the Gloucester Township Emergency Needs Preparedness Registry can be shared with local first responders and emergency management officials. Your information is held confidentially and will only be accessed to assist in your safety and well-being in the time of an emergency affecting your area of Gloucester Township.

For additional information on this program you may contact the Community Relations Bureau at communityrelations@gtpolice.com or call Police Services at 856-228-4011. #GTPD

Address/Location

Gloucester Township Police Department

1261 Chews Landing Rd

Gloucester Township, NJ 08021

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-228-4500