Police are searching for a man who allegedly got a bit too “touchy-feely” with a woman’s feet at a grocery store parking lot in South Jersey. 

The woman told police she was loading groceries into her vehicle in the parking lot of the ShopRite on Ark Road in Mount Laurel around 10:20 p.m. Saturday.

As she began to close her driver’s side door, a man stopped the door from closing. The man then told the woman he wanted to speak to her and complimented her toes, according to investigators.

The woman said the man then touched and squeezed two of her toes. After the woman told the man to stop touching her he let go and told her he was obsessed with toes, police said. He then walked away.

The woman said the man had short hair and weighed about 250 pounds. The woman also said he was wearing a white shirt and several chains with crosses around his neck.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to call Mount Laurel Police at 856-234-1414.

Health department officials confirmed five new cases of enterovirus D68 in New Jersey. The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon by a health department spokeswoman.

According to the spokeswoman, there are two new cases in Morris County, one new case in Mercer County, one new case in Camden County and one new case in Middlesex County.

The case in Mercer County is not associated with Yardville Elementary School, a Trenton school where 4-year-old Eli Waller died from EV-D68 and another preschooler was sickened with EV-D68 symptoms.

The new EV-D68 cases bring the total number to 14 in New Jersey.

The enterovirus germ is not new; most people who catch the virus experience only a runny nose and low-grade fever. It was first identified in 1962 and has caused clusters of illness before.

This year, the virus has gotten more attention because it has been linked to hundreds of severe illnesses. Beginning last month, hospitals in Kansas City, Missouri, and Chicago have received a flood of children with trouble breathing.

To avoid getting the virus, health officials recommend:

• Wash hands with soap and water.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hand
• Avoid kissing, hugging, and sharing cups, plates and utensils with people who are sick
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
   

A woman and her two daughters were arrested after they allegedly attacked a 14-year-old girl inside a Hunting Park high school Tuesday morning.

According to investigators, a 32-year-old woman, who has not yet been identified, went inside Edison High School on W. Luzerne Street around 8:30 a.m. to meet up with her 17-year-old daughter. The mother and daughter then allegedly confronted a 14-year-old student inside a classroom who was talking to a teacher at the time.

After arguing with the 14-year-old, the mom and daughter then allegedly attacked her, pulling her hair, kicking and punching her. According to police, the woman’s 15-year-old daughter jumped in and began assaulting the victim as well.

The 14-year-old victim suffered swelling under her eyes and a bloody mouth in the attack, according to police. She was taken to St. Christopher’s Hospital for evaluation.

The woman and her two daughters were taken into custody. All three are expected to be charged with simple assault and criminal conspiracy. Police also said the 32-year-old woman will be charged with trespassing.

Early risers and night owls will have quite the sight if they look into the sky Wednesday morning.

The second of four lunar eclipses known as “blood moons,” expected to be visible in the U.S. over a two-year span, will take place in the pre-dawn hours Wednesday morning, and those living in the Philadelphia region could catch a glimpse of the rare treat -- if the weather cooperates.

“The total lunar eclipse always allows the moon to take on a beautiful red color – some people describe this as ‘blood red,’” said Franklin Institute Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts. “It really depends on how deep into the shadow the moon gets for it to get that red.”

Pitts said that the reddening of the moon should begin around 5:15 a.m. and progress right through sunrise when the moon sets.

The sun rising -- which will happen at 7:04 a.m. in Philly -- combined with the moon setting could make viewing the full eclipse difficult.

"We only actually get to see the very earliest portions of the eclipse --maybe a little tiny bit of totality," said Pitts.

NBC10 Chief meteorologist Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz also said that clouds left over from overnight rain could block the view of the eclipse in parts of the region. He said the rain should be gone by the morning rush but that clouds could remain.

While more common than solar eclipses, lunar eclipses last longer and can be viewed almost anywhere on the night side of the Earth, provided there are no clouds to block the view, according to Chicago’s Adler Planetarium. And experts say no two are ever the same -- they can range in color from brick red to copper to dark grey.

In all, four eclipses will occur this year, two lunar and two solar. NASA officials report the moon will appear 5.3 percent larger than it did during an April 15 eclipse earlier this year.

"The most unique thing about the 2014-2015 tetrad is that all of them are visible for all or parts of the USA," said NASA expert Fred Espenak. A tetrad is a series of four consecutive total eclipses that take place at six month intervals.

Pitts said that Wednesday's eclipse could last for for up to 90 minutes. Let's hope clouds don't block it from site.

Two people are in the hospital after a double shooting in North Philadelphia.

A 28-year-old man and a 38-year-old man were on the 2300 block of North 9th Street around 5:50 p.m. Tuesday when an unidentified gunman opened fire.

The 28-year-old man was struck once in the stomach, once in the hip and once in the right arm. The 38-year-old man was struck once in the right thumb.

Both men were taken to Temple University Hospital where they are currently in stable condition.

No arrests have been made and a weapon has not been recovered. Police have not yet released a description of a suspect.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
 

A garage fire forced residents of a Burlington County home to evacuate Tuesday night.

Officials said they received reports of an explosion at a house on the 300 block of Chesterfield Jacobstown Road in New Hanover Township. When they arrived they found a fire inside the garage.

Investigators have not yet confirmed whether an explosion started the blaze but say there were propane tanks inside the garage.

Residents of the home were evacuated. The fire was placed under control around 8:45 p.m.

A firefighter suffered minor scratches to his neck after a ceiling collapsed but no major injuries were reported.

Officials continue to investigate the cause.

A man is recovering after he was stabbed twice inside a Northeast Philadelphia grocery store. Yet according to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small, it's what customers did after the stabbing that was almost as shocking as the initial crime. 

"It was somewhat surprising that some of the shoppers wanted to finish their shopping," Small said.

The 50-year-old victim was inside the Pathmark store on 840 Cottman Avenue around 5:50 p.m. Tuesday when he was confronted by a 40-year-old man in the dairy aisle, according to police.

The 40-year-old man allegedly stabbed the 50-year-old man in the face and neck with a kitchen knife before fleeing the scene. According to investigators, the suspect and victim knew each other prior to the incident and they both arrived at the store separately.

The victim was taken to the hospital where he is in critical but stable condition.

Police tracked the suspect down on the train tracks about a mile away from the store. They also found his knife at a nearby KFC, according to investigators. He was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and other related offenses but has not yet been identified.

The Health Department was also notified due to blood being spilled in the store.

According to investigators, at least 100 customers were inside the store at the time of the stabbing and many continued to shop before police arrived.

"There were many customers in the store who were shopping, standing on the blood, and pushing their shopping carts over the blood," Small said. "We had to tell them it was human blood." 

According to investigators, one customer even asked a responding officer to reach over and pass him cheese.

The Pathmark was closed for the rest of the night as health department officials checked for food safety while crews cleaned and disinfected the crime scene.

Police are searching for a burglar who pepper sprayed a woman inside a South Jersey home early Tuesday morning.

The suspect broke into a two-story home on Joel Court in Lindenwold around 1:45 a.m. The 66-year-old homeowner was walking down the stairs carrying her purse when the suspect confronted her, according to police.

The burglar allegedly sprayed the woman in the face with pepper spray and then tried to pull her purse away from her. After he was unable to, he fled out of the home through the front door.

The woman described the suspect as a man wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt with his face covered by a black bandana or t-shirt.

Aside from the temporary effect of the peppery spray, the woman was not hurt during the incident.

If you have any information on the suspect’s whereabouts or identity, please call Detective Ron Burrows of the Lindenwold Police Department at (856) 784-7566 ext. 419. Anonymous tips can also be left at lindenwoldpd.com or through crimereports.com.

Authorities are not giving up on Nefertiri Trader, who has been missing since late June.

A witness claimed to see her being forced into her car in the early hours of Monday Jun. 30, 2014 by an unknown individual. This took place outside her home on the unit block of Freedom Trail in New Castle in the community of Saddlebrook. The vehicle, a 2000 Acura RL with Delaware registration, left the scene soon after. Police as well as her family are continuing the search for the missing mother of three.

“Her kids want their mother back,” says Nefertiri’s mother Denise Trader who describes her daughter as “a very nice and easy-going people person.” The two spoke for the last time four hours before the abduction, discussing the BET Awards.

According to Denise, the search has covered New Castle as well as other parts of the Delaware area like Wilmington and Newark. She is hoping to get a search team up from the Florida-based
KlaasKIDS Search Center for Missing & Trafficked Children.

The Detective in charge of the investigation, Matthew DiSabatino could not divulge where police are looking.

“Revealing any specific geographic locations being searched may compromise the integrity of the case," he said.

Nevertheless, he told NBC10 that several leads are being followed and that the search will continue “until all leads are exhausted or until Ms. Trader is located.”

Nefertiri was working in housekeeping at Christiana Hospital in Newark, DE before her disappearance.

“She enjoyed working there,” says her sister Jackine. “She always came home with a story about meeting people. She loved hanging out with her family and friends. She’s a good mom and a good sister.”

Trader is described as an African-American female, standing 5-foot-6 with brown hair and brown eyes. Police ask that any leads or tips be submitted to MEDiSabatino@nccde.org, www.nccpd.com or (800) TIP-3333. In the meantime, the New Castle County Police will continue to update the public via social media and the help of local media outlets.

A woman is fighting for her life after a shooting in the Nicetown section of the city Tuesday night.

The 27-year-old woman was on North Gratz and Wingohocking streets around 9:30 p.m. when an unidentified gunman opened fire.

The woman was struck once in the face and once in the right shoulder.  She was taken to Einstein Hospital where she is currently in critical condition.

Investigators found blood as well as 13 shell casings near the scene of the shooting.

No arrests have been made and police have not yet released a description of a suspect.

They are currently analyzing surveillance video and continue to investigate.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
 

A man was killed while another is in critical condition after two separate car crashes occurred within the span of 20 minutes in Toms River, New Jersey Tuesday night.

The first accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. An unidentified man was crossing Indian Head Road at Green Drive when he was struck by a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro that was traveling eastbound.

The man was killed instantly in the crash.

At 7:47 p.m., another unidentified man was crossing Route 37 at Coolidge Avenue when he was struck by a 2014 Dodge Ram traveling west. He was taken to a local hospital where he is currently in critical condition.

Police continue to investigate both accidents. No charges have been filed.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
 

A woman is speaking out after she fought off a man accused of burglarizing several Upper Darby homes within the span of a few weeks.

"I'm not safe, my kids are not safe," said the woman, who did not want to be identified. "This man literally walked up in my house. He violated me and my family." 

The 44-year-old woman was sleeping inside her home on the 6800 block of Clover Lane Tuesday around 4:20 a.m. Her two adult children and 9-year-old daughter were also asleep.

According to police, a burglar broke through the woman's window. He first spotted the woman's 25-year-old son who had his cellphone on his chest as he slept. The burglar snatched the man's phone and then went into the woman's room as she slept with her daughter, police said.

The woman told NBC10 her dog, who was also inside the room, started growling which woke her up. That's when she saw the intruder.

"He's in my house and he's not supposed to be there," the woman said. "He scared the crap out of me."

The woman said she grabbed her cellphone but the man wrestled it away from her and started to attack her. The woman fought back however and started swinging.

"My daughter jumps up because she hears me yelling," the woman said. "I guess he realized she was there and that's when he runs out." 

The burglar pushed the woman down and ran off with her cellphone as well as an iPad, her son's phone and a wallet containing $120 and credit cards, according to police.

Police said the same suspect burglarized four other homes in the Stonehurst section of Upper Darby Township during the early morning hours.

“The method of operation is the same and the description that we’ve gotten on a couple of these burglaries is the same,” Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said.

The four other burglaries occurred the following times at the following locations:

• September 20, 4:23 a.m. on the 700 block of Shelbourne Road
• September 27, 4:04 a.m. on the 6900 block of Guilford Road
• October 3, 4:59 a.m. on the 7000 block of Clover Lane
• October 4, 2 a.m. on the 7200 block of Clinton Road

During each burglary, the suspect entered through the windows of the homes after stealing phones, iPads, wallets or purses. 

“It doesn’t matter if your window is locked or if it’s open, he’s getting in,” Chitwood said. “We recovered a small pinch bar from one of the locations. Our concern is that this guy is becoming more brazen. Certainly three burglaries in the last four days is kind of concerning to us and we’re fearful that this may escalate into some type of physical confrontation.”

The burglar's latest victim told NBC10 he not only stole her belongings, but also robbed her of her sense of security.

"I'm angry right now," the woman said while in tears. "I'm really angry." 

The suspect is described as a man in his 20’s standing 6-feet-tall. Chitwood also said he was wearing dark clothing and a hooded sweatshirt.

If you have any information on his whereabouts, please call Upper Darby Police at 610-352-7050.

Investigators are warning Berks County residents of a bad batch of synthetic marijuana that may have sent about 50 patients to the hospital within the past month.

According to doctors at Reading Hospital, dozens of patients who they believe ingested K2 have come in to the emergency room acting erratic and deranged. In some cases they were even near death, according to doctors.

“Most are agitated, belligerent, psychotic, hallucinating and very difficult to control,” said Dr. Charles Barbera.

K2 or Spice is a synthetic marijuana that mimics the hallucinogenic effects that occur when smoking traditional marijuana. It does not contain THC (the chemical used in marijuana) but it does contain a compound, often referred to as a synthetic cannabinoid, that has the same effects as THC.

K2 is currently legal in Pennsylvania though a bill has been proposed to make it illegal. It’s sold as herbal incense with instructions saying it is not to be used for human consumption, however, it is often smoked like traditional marijuana.

“It’s actually very dangerous,” said Berks County District Attorney John Adams. “If you ingest K2, you have no idea what you’re ingesting.”

Adams told NBC10 his office is searching for the source of the bad batch and believes it’s coming from a common dealer. They also believe the synthetic pot was sprayed with other chemicals.

“We have reason to believe that maybe some of the K2 on our streets was laced with heroin,” Adams said.

Doctors told NBC10 they want families to keep an eye out for signs of the K2. So far most of the patients have been teenagers though the oldest victim was in their 20’s.

“It’s not worth trying,” Dr. Barbera said. “It’s dangerous. People have almost lost their lives because of it.”

Hamilton Township officials answered questions from concerned parents Tuesday night as the community continues to cope with the loss of 4-year-old Eli Waller who died from enterovirus D-68.

During the public council meeting, many residents claimed there was a lack of communication regarding how Waller died.

“It’s still nonsense and there’s a disconnect,” said Joseph Wright, a community resident and parent. “That’s the best word. There is a disconnect.”

While Waller, who attended Yardley Elementary School in Trenton, died last month, it wasn’t until several days later when officials finally confirmed EV-D68 caused his death. Another pre-schooler at Yardley also fell ill. His family is still awaiting test results confirming whether or not he was also infected with EV-D68.

During the Tuesday night meeting, officials released a timeline detailing the school’s response to Waller’s death and the second boy’s sickness.

• Sept. 23 – Eli Waller was in school, second student was out sick
• Sept. 24 – Waller was out sick, parents believed he had pink eye
• Sept. 25 – Waller dies in his sleep, no cause of death due to limited information
• Sept. 26 – Yardley Elementary School is sanitized, students relocated, health officials speak to parents first thing in the morning
• Sept. 30 – Waller’s medical samples arrive at Center for Disease Control in Atlanta
• Oct. 3 – CDC officials confirm Waller had EV-D68, inform Waller's family, Hamilton Twp. officials
• Oct. 4 - Medical examiner confirms EV-D68 caused Waller's death, officials inform residents

CDC officials told NBC10 it took them five days to get the samples for Waller because they had to test for other virus concerns first.

“The virus is out there,” said Hamilton Township health officer Jeff Plunkett. “It’s not going away.”

According to Plunkett, there’s no way of knowing where Waller picked up the virus. Plunkett assured the community officials would continue to communicate and update parents, local pediatricians and private schools on the situation. Most importantly he urged parents not to panic.

“Send your kids to school,” Plunkett said. “Put them back into society. Put them back into our town.”

Five more cases of EV-D68 were confirmed Tuesday in New Jersey bringing the total number to 14.

The enterovirus germ is not new; most people who catch the virus experience only a runny nose and low-grade fever. It was first identified in 1962 and has caused clusters of illness before.

This year, the virus has gotten more attention because it has been linked to hundreds of severe illnesses. Beginning last month, hospitals in Kansas City, Missouri, and Chicago have received a flood of children with trouble breathing

To avoid getting the virus, health officials recommend:

• Wash hands with soap and water.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hand
• Avoid kissing, hugging, and sharing cups, plates and utensils with people who are sick
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.