Christian Fuscarino, the head of New Jersey’s most prominent LGBTQ rights organization, Garden State Equality, has resigned after being charged with allegedly assaulting his foster son. The incident occurred on November 9 in Neptune City, New Jersey, and was captured on home security footage.
Court records allege that Fuscarino, 35, pulled a foster child out of bed and struck him multiple times. He also shoved the child into a wall before striking him again. The child was reported by another person in the home and taken to the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center. The New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency later obtained video evidence and notified authorities, leading to Neptune City police arresting Fuscarino on November 21.
Garden State Equality placed Fuscarino on leave after the charges were filed, and he resigned earlier this week. In his statement, Fuscarino said, “I resigned from Garden State Equality to ensure that the organization’s work is not impacted by a private family matter.” He further described the incident as “a private family moment” and urged the public to respect his family’s privacy.
Fuscarino’s attorney, Mitchell Ansell, characterized the situation as a “difficult personal family moment” and assured the public that “everyone is safe and no physical harm was caused.” The organization, based in Asbury Park, has been a leading force in advancing LGBTQ policy initiatives in New Jersey, with Fuscarino serving as its executive director since 2016. The case has drawn attention due to Fuscarino’s close ties to prominent Democrat officials, including Governor Phil Murphy and Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill.
