Woman Left Toddler In Hot Car, HGTV Stars File For Bankruptcy, Preview Of $5B Retail Project Were Top 2015 Storie

Here is a look back at the top stories on Bergen and Passaic County Patch websites in 2015.

• Cop Smashes Window To Save Toddler From Hot Car

A child left in a hot car was rescued by a Bergen County Sheriff’s officer, video footage from the scene shows. The mother was charged with child endangerment.

• HGTV’s ‘The Cousins’ File For Bankruptcy Over Bergen Renovation

The co-hosts of HGTV’s ”Kitchen Cousins” home improvement show filed for personal bankruptcy after an unfavorable ruling was issued against them alleging they did a shoddy renovation on a home once owned by former New York Yankee Don Mattingly.

• ‘Most Expensive Retail Project On Earth’ Coming To Meadowlands In 2017

Mall of America owners are planning a N.J. project with indoor amusement park, aquarium, ski hill, ‘scented’ theater, and Kosher food court. When complete, the 91-acre complex will be broken up into five connected sections more than a half-mile long. A huge aquarium there will feature a walk-through underwater tunnel and a LEGOLAND discovery center will cater to kids 3 to 10 years old.

• Man Buys $1.4M Lottery Ticket — Then He Gets Lucky

Yogi Patel, the owner of Leprechaun News in Rutherford, realized that one of his regular customers won $1.4 million on a $20 Double Diamond scratch-off ticket and called the man. The man threw the ticket out, but Patel noticed the winning ticket in his system, found it, and contacted the man.

• Man With Rifle, Several Pistols Arrested At Chili’s In Ramsey: Police

Joseph T. Zych, 38, allegedly told someone that he was threatening to use weapons in his vehicle, Ramsey police said. Police found several weapons in the vehicle, including: A Taurus .44-caliber handgun, two speed loaders with .44 magnum hollow-point bullets, two Browning Arms 9mm pistols with numerous hollow-point bullets, an AR-15 rifle, two knives, which Zych had illegally, and a pair of handcuffs, police said.

• ‘American Idol’ Alum From Wyckoff Arrested For Domestic Violence

Constantine Maroulis, an ”American Idol” alumnus, was arrested for allegedly kicking the mother of his child in the groin.

• School Superintendent Burned In Wyckoff House Fire Charged With Arson

Authorities determined that David Browne “purposely set the fire with the use of an accelerant,” Molinelli said, which destroyed the garage and everything in it. Browne was allegedly linked to the Ashley Madison hack and used work equipment to access the infamous website, which encourages people to have extramarital affairs.

• $5M Worth Of Heroin Seized In Bergen County

Connecticut man was arrested in Teaneck in September after authorities seized 22 kilograms of heroin, about 1.1 million decks, worth between $3.5 and $5 million, police said.

• College Professor Hid Drugs Inside Body: Police

Dorota Ellington, 48, a professor at William Paterson University, allegedly hid marijuana inside of a body cavity.

• WATCH: Teen’s Prom Proposal Rejected In Front Of 2,000 People

Hasbrouck Heights teen goes all out to ask a girl to the prom, but it turns out she already has a date.

• Teresa Giudice’s Attempt To Contest Foreclosure On Montville Mansion Rejected

A Superior Court judge rejected Joe and Teresa Giudice’s attempt to contest foreclosure on their Montville home and granted summary judgement in favor of the mortgage holder, the Community Bank of Bergen County.