A woman has been charged with setting a $1,400 baby stroller on fire outside of the Lauren Wendroff Early Children’s Academy in Bayonne yesterday, police said.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Khaliyah Bordeaux, 37, of Jersey City, was charged with arson, according to Police Capt. Eric Amato.
Yesterday at about 12 noon, Bayonne police officers responded to the area of 44th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard on a report of a baby stroller on fire adjacent to The Lauren Wendroff Early Children’s Academy, located at 1050 JFK Blvd.
As officers arrived, they were met by a representative from the school who had extinguished the blaze prior to police arrival. An on-scene investigation into the incident, which included a review of video surveillance footage, was immediately initiated.
While reviewing the surveillance footage, a female is seen approaching the stroller, valued at $1,400, while it was stationed alongside the school and setting it on fire before fleeing the scene.
A description of the female actor was broadcast to all units and a search for her was conducted in the area.
During the investigation, an officer matched the actor’s description to a female, whom he identified as Bordeaux, that had just approached him in the area of 44th Street and JFK Boulevard regarding her vehicle being impounded in the past.
A complaint warrant was subsequently issued for her arrest as the Bayonne Detective Bureau continued the investigation.
Then today at about 9:00 a.m., detectives were alerted that Bordeaux was currently at the Bayonne Police Traffic Division (impound lot) at 330 Hook Road attempting to retrieve her impounded vehicle. She was ultimately taken into custody and processed accordingly.
Amato also indicated that the investigation determined that the incident was not a bias crime, since it was not committed with intent to intimidate anyone because they are Jewish or damage property because of its affiliation with the Jewish religion.
