New Jersey mother charged after teen found in basement crawl space

A New Jersey mother, Jennifer Buckley, has been charged with obstructing the administration of law after her 17-year-old son was found hiding in a basement crawl space in her home.

The investigation began after the teenager’s father contacted the East Brunswick Police Department on a Tuesday evening because the boy failed to arrive for a scheduled drop-off. Buckley initially informed officers that her son was not at the residence and that she could not locate him. She also expressed concern that the teenager did not want to go to his father’s home and might pose a danger to himself.

Following an extensive search by patrol officers and detectives, authorities uncovered inconsistencies in Buckley’s account. During a search of the home, police discovered the teenager concealed in a crawl space in the basement. Investigators determined the boy had remained in the crawl space the entire time and that his mother had assisted in hiding him. Authorities stated there was no evidence that the teenager had been harmed.