Boy arrested for Aberdeen school blaze
Labor Day fire caused $2M in damage, disrupted schedules
BY MICHELLE ROSENBERG
Staff Writer
The misbehavior of some kids can get them grounded for a week, but one 13-year-old boy may be sentenced to three years.
Authorities recently arrested a boy from the Cliffwood section of Aberdeen and charged him with second-degree aggravated arson for allegedly setting the Matawan Avenue Middle School on fire on Labor Day, Aberdeen Police Chief John Powers said.
The Aberdeen Township Police Department worked with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office on the investigation, which police say is still ongoing.
The arrest was made at 6:50 p.m. on April 4 at the Aberdeen Town Square Shopping Center. Aberdeen Detective Chris DeSarno and county Detective Brian Vepnek were the arresting officers.
The juvenile was initially brought to the Aberdeen Police Department, and was then transferred to the Monmouth County Youth Detention Center, Powers said.
The juvenile is still being held in the detention center awaiting his next court date, said Barry Serebnick, Monmouth County assistant prosecutor.
The juvenile had a retention hearing the day after he was committed, and was then scheduled to have a probable cause hearing later in the week. That hearing was postponed, Powers said.
The case is being handled by presiding Superior Court Family Judge Eugene A. Iadanza, Serebnick said.
The boy was not a student in the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District. Local police would not say what they believe his motives for allegedly burning the building were.
Powers said that the detectives have spent the last seven months interviewing several individuals and gathering all the information they could, which ultimately led to the arrest.
He also said that the investigation is ongoing because police are not sure the culprit was acting alone. There is some information that makes it seem that others may have been involved, he said.
There were initial reports that two individuals were seen running from the scene around the time the blaze was set.
Authorities would not say if the juvenile in custody has a previous record.
Serebnick said that the maximum sentence for a juvenile charged with second degree aggravated arson is three years in the youth detention center, but the sentencing is “entirely up to the judge.”
At the beginning of the year, the New Jersey School Boards Association Insurance Group (NJSBAIG) offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. There was an additional $1,000 reward being offered by the nationwide program WeTip. Authorities said that as of now, nobody will be getting the reward money because it was not one person’s information that led to the arrest.
“I’m pleased that the police department was able to make an arrest,” Superintendent of Schools Bruce Quinn said. He also said he is grateful that the police department had the diligence to investigate the case.
Quinn also said that he is sad for the student arrested, and wishes he had made better choices. He said the juvenile disrupted the district, and he has to pay the penalty.
Quinn said that the district is hoping to move forward and never have to deal with something like this again.
The fire caused roughly $2 million in damage to the school, forcing it to delay opening twice, and hold split sessions for months due to lack of room.
There are still sections of the middle school closed off, and one group of sixth-graders was forced to attend their first year of middle school at one of the district’s elementary schools.
The fire, which was started on the roof, caused significant water and fire damage to the area behind the auditorium. Classrooms and the hallway were closed off. There was also significant damage in the gymnasium, cafeteria and girls’ locker room. Most of what was destroyed in the fire was newly constructed referendum work.
The insurance company covered the bulk of the cost of reconstructing what was damaged. The district was only responsible for a $5,000 deductible.
Quinn said the school board hasn’t discussed whether or not they will seek reimbursement for the deductible now that a suspect is in custody.
Now that an arrest has been made, the insurance company has the right to seek reimbursement from the boy’s family, said Bill Miller, NJSBAIG claims supervisor.
“The word of the day is ‘subrogation,’” he said. Subrogation means that because the insurance company has made payments to their insured, they have the same rights the insured would have if an arrest is made, he said.
“We’ve made extensive payments,” Miller said. “We’re not going to leave people penniless in the parking lot, but we’re not going to continue to make extensive payments without some kind of reimbursement.”
Miller said the insurance company is not sure what they will go after the family for, but that they do have the right to seek recovery.
The claims adjuster handling the case could not comment on the specifics.
Police are currently working to complete the case.
Labor Day fire caused $2M in damage, disrupted schedules
BY MICHELLE ROSENBERG
Staff Writer
The misbehavior of some kids can get them grounded for a week, but one 13-year-old boy may be sentenced to three years.
Authorities recently arrested a boy from the Cliffwood section of Aberdeen and charged him with second-degree aggravated arson for allegedly setting the Matawan Avenue Middle School on fire on Labor Day, Aberdeen Police Chief John Powers said.
The Aberdeen Township Police Department worked with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office on the investigation, which police say is still ongoing.
The arrest was made at 6:50 p.m. on April 4 at the Aberdeen Town Square Shopping Center. Aberdeen Detective Chris DeSarno and county Detective Brian Vepnek were the arresting officers.
The juvenile was initially brought to the Aberdeen Police Department, and was then transferred to the Monmouth County Youth Detention Center, Powers said.
The juvenile is still being held in the detention center awaiting his next court date, said Barry Serebnick, Monmouth County assistant prosecutor.
The juvenile had a retention hearing the day after he was committed, and was then scheduled to have a probable cause hearing later in the week. That hearing was postponed, Powers said.
The case is being handled by presiding Superior Court Family Judge Eugene A. Iadanza, Serebnick said.
The boy was not a student in the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District. Local police would not say what they believe his motives for allegedly burning the building were.
Powers said that the detectives have spent the last seven months interviewing several individuals and gathering all the information they could, which ultimately led to the arrest.
He also said that the investigation is ongoing because police are not sure the culprit was acting alone. There is some information that makes it seem that others may have been involved, he said.
There were initial reports that two individuals were seen running from the scene around the time the blaze was set.
Authorities would not say if the juvenile in custody has a previous record.
Serebnick said that the maximum sentence for a juvenile charged with second degree aggravated arson is three years in the youth detention center, but the sentencing is “entirely up to the judge.”
At the beginning of the year, the New Jersey School Boards Association Insurance Group (NJSBAIG) offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. There was an additional $1,000 reward being offered by the nationwide program WeTip. Authorities said that as of now, nobody will be getting the reward money because it was not one person’s information that led to the arrest.
“I’m pleased that the police department was able to make an arrest,” Superintendent of Schools Bruce Quinn said. He also said he is grateful that the police department had the diligence to investigate the case.
Quinn also said that he is sad for the student arrested, and wishes he had made better choices. He said the juvenile disrupted the district, and he has to pay the penalty.
Quinn said that the district is hoping to move forward and never have to deal with something like this again.
The fire caused roughly $2 million in damage to the school, forcing it to delay opening twice, and hold split sessions for months due to lack of room.
There are still sections of the middle school closed off, and one group of sixth-graders was forced to attend their first year of middle school at one of the district’s elementary schools.
The fire, which was started on the roof, caused significant water and fire damage to the area behind the auditorium. Classrooms and the hallway were closed off. There was also significant damage in the gymnasium, cafeteria and girls’ locker room. Most of what was destroyed in the fire was newly constructed referendum work.
The insurance company covered the bulk of the cost of reconstructing what was damaged. The district was only responsible for a $5,000 deductible.
Quinn said the school board hasn’t discussed whether or not they will seek reimbursement for the deductible now that a suspect is in custody.
Now that an arrest has been made, the insurance company has the right to seek reimbursement from the boy’s family, said Bill Miller, NJSBAIG claims supervisor.
“The word of the day is ‘subrogation,’” he said. Subrogation means that because the insurance company has made payments to their insured, they have the same rights the insured would have if an arrest is made, he said.
“We’ve made extensive payments,” Miller said. “We’re not going to leave people penniless in the parking lot, but we’re not going to continue to make extensive payments without some kind of reimbursement.”
Miller said the insurance company is not sure what they will go after the family for, but that they do have the right to seek recovery.
The claims adjuster handling the case could not comment on the specifics.
Police are currently working to complete the case.
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