A quiet Saturday afternoon in Brick Township was shattered by an act of violence that has left residents stunned and a two-year-old boy hospitalized with a stab wound to the chest.
Authorities say the child’s sister, 20-year-old Marlene Rodriguez, has been charged with attempted murder and child endangerment in connection with the attack.
The incident unfolded around 2:30 p.m. on November 1, 2025, at a home on Burke Lane, just a few miles from the Garden State Parkway. Brick Township police responded to a 911 call reporting a child in distress.
When officers arrived, they found the toddler suffering from a serious injury. He was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune City, where he was listed in stable condition on Saturday evening.
Following a swift investigation involving the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, the Brick Township Police Detective Bureau, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, authorities identified the child’s sister as the suspected attacker.
Rodriguez was taken into custody and is being held at the Ocean County Jail. She faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and endangering the welfare of a child.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer praised the “professionalism and coordinated response” of the law enforcement agencies involved.
Rodriguez is awaiting a detention hearing as prosecutors continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to the incident.
Officials emphasized that the charges are accusations and that Rodriguez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The stabbing has shaken Brick Township, a community of more than 76,000 residents known for its suburban calm and family-friendly reputation.
Once named “America’s Safest City” in a national survey, Brick has long prided itself on low crime and a strong sense of neighborhood security.
Yet, recent statistics paint a more nuanced picture. While the township’s violent crime rate remains close to the national average, its overall crime rate is higher than that of many New Jersey municipalities.
Saturday’s tragedy on Burke Lane has brought a human face to those numbers, serving as a stark reminder that no community is immune to violence.
As the investigation continues, residents are left grappling with disbelief—and hoping for the full recovery of the young boy whose suffering has cast a shadow over an otherwise quiet neighborhood.