Lakewood Couple Charged In Breaking Coronavirus Gathering Ban

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A Lakewood couple has been charged with child endangerment after authorities broke up a gathering of 40 to 50 people at their home on Sunday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Eliezer Silber, 37, and Miriam Silber, 34, each were charged with five counts of child endangerment, one for each of the couple's five children, Billhimer said. Eliezer Silber additionally was charged with "violating any rule or regulation adopted by the governor" in connection with hosting the gathering, the prosecutor said.

It is the fifth time charges have been filed in connection with events in Lakewood since March 16 and fourth in the township since Gov. Phil Murphy issued a stay-at-home order on March 21 to try to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, which has sickened more than 13,000 people as of Sunday.

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Lakewood police were called to the home on Alamitos Drive for a report of a gathering of people blocking the street and found about 40 to 50 people, including children, on the front lawn and in the street in front of the home.

"This gathering was in violation of Executive Order No. 107 signed by Governor Phil Murphy on March 21, 2020, which bans gatherings of individuals, whether they be at weddings, parties, celebrations, or other social events," Billhimer said. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Police ordered the crowd to disperse and filed charges against the Silbers, whose children were at the gathering. Both are required to appear at a future court date in Ocean County Superior Court.

On March 17, authorities broke up two weddings that exceeded 50 people each, which was the limit Murphy initially put in place. On March 19, Lakewood police issued summonses to two men, one for a wedding and one for a large gathering, and worked to shut down a yeshiva that remained open in spite of Murphy's orders to close all schools in the state. Read more: Occupied Lakewood Yeshiva, Weddings Amid Coronavirus Spark Anger

A fourth wedding and another gathering were broken up on March 24, and two more summonses issued. Read more: 2 More Lakewood Gatherings Broken Up Amid Coronavirus Shutdown

And a fifth wedding was disrupted when Lakewood police discovered tents in a back yard while responding to a motor vehicle crash. Read more: 5th Lakewood Wedding Halted, Broke Coronavirus Gathering Ban: PD

"As I have previously stated, it is my sworn duty to protect all of the residents of Ocean County. That obligation applies across the board," Billhimer said. "My office will prosecute any individual who defies or breaks the law, state of emergency or otherwise. Everyone must respect and follow the law."

The gathering on Sunday happened despite repeated warnings from Billhimer, Lakewood Police Chief Gregory Meyer, Murphy, state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and New Jersey State Police Cpl. Patrick Callahan telling people to stop holding gatherings.

"Our social distancing directives are not polite suggestions," Murphy said last Wednesday. "They are there for a reason: to flatten the curve, to cut off the surge" of cases that lead to hospitalization and stress on the state's health care system.

There have been 835 positive tests in Ocean County so far, as of Sunday’s report from the Ocean County Health Department. That includes 371 in Lakewood, 106 in Toms River, 81 in Brick, 77 in Jackson, 45 in Berkeley, 33 in Manchester, 22 in Point Pleasant, 18 in Lacey, 20 in Barnegat, 11 in Stafford, eight in South Toms River, seven in Little Egg Harbor, seven in Beachwood, four in Plumsted, four in Seaside Heights, four in Waretown, three in Point Pleasant Beach, two in Long Beach Township, two in Barnegat Light, two in Ship Bottom, and one each in Bay Head, Beach Haven, Island Heights, Lakehurst, Lavallette, Seaside Park, and Surf City. A case reported in Ocean Gate in Saturday’s statistics was removed from Sunday’s report.

As of Sunday afternoon, there were 13,386 positive tests for COVID-19 in New Jersey, and 161 people statewide, including at least 10 in Ocean County, are reported to have died from it, according to the state health department.

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