Kid Starved, Beat While Another Forced To Watch: 5 NJ Stories You Need To Read

Good evening, New Jersey Patch readers! We've assembled some of the most share-worthy stories from the state for today, just for you.

Here are the top five stories from New Jersey:

1. State officials could withhold funding from public schools and libraries if they censor books for certain reasons under a bill introduced in the New Jersey Senate. Bill sponsors said the legislation is "about preventing censorship and keeping intolerance and hatred" in libraries. (Read more on Patch.)

2. A ranking of America's best maternity care centers and hospitals lists 15 facilities in New Jersey. These hospitals provide high-quality care from pregnancy through birth, as well as postpartum as well according to the analysis. (Read more on Patch.)

3. Ahead of Memorial Day, one Jersey Shore beach has been ranked among the top 25 in the nation. The beach in Asbury Park was listed alongside other beaches in Hawaii, California, and Lake Michigan. (Read more on Patch.)

4. An intermediate school teacher has been charged after he sent inappropriate photos of himself to a student, officials said. The 48-year-old also posted pornographic photographs of himself to his public Twitter profile, said the Ocean County prosecutor. (Read more on Patch.)

5. A South Jersey woman pleaded guilty to starving a nine-year-old girl to the point of malnutrition, and beating the girl while a younger child was made to watch. The 58-year-old woman was the caretaker of both children. The nine-year-old had to be hospitalized for a week, officials said. (Read more on Patch.)