A Pleasantville woman accused of ignoring her husband's alleged sexual abuse of two children was actively advertising an Egg Harbor Township homeschool she was opening during the investigation, BreakingAC has found.
Christina Martinez was barred from contact with the alleged victims, even as she publicly advertised her homeschool co-op and spoke of her passion to help children.
The boy and girl, 11 and 8 at the time, later disclosed the alleged abuse by Sergio Martinez, claiming they had told Christina Martinez, who did not believe them and told them not to tell anyone, according to the charges.
The children were interviewed by Florida Family Services in May 2022.
Six months later, they were returned to New Jersey, after a Family Court order gave their paternal grandmother custody. That same court barred the Martinezes from any contact with the children.
During this same time, Christina Martinez was publicly working to open the Youth Enlightenment Center, which is described as a faith-based homeschool and tutoring school for children in preschool through college.
"Now enrolling PRE-K-12TH grade for 22-23 school year," an Aug. 22, 2022, Facebook post said, which had the school listed as Egg Harbor City instead of township.
Another posting Sept. 21, 2022, linked to a GoFundMe page to help with "development and operations of our home school," the headline read. The GoFundMe link is no longer active.
"Fun Friday field trip," reads a Nov. 25, 2022, post from Young's Skating Center that includes a photo of Sergio Martinez.
Christina Martinez spoke at the Dec. 5, 2022 Pleasantville City Council meeting with Yolanda Cooper, an Egg Harbor Township resident who was described as a family member during last week's detention hearing.
"We wanted the public to know that we created a Christian alternative school," Martinez told the council, as Cooper handed them flyers.
"We're trying to help the community fill the gaps for the children that fall between the gaps," Martinez said. "I know they've got programs for kids that excel, and kids that are in the lower level, but kids that are in the middle usually fall between the gaps."
Around that same time, Martinez was advertising an open house at the school's location, listed as 6577 Delilah Road in Egg Harbor Township.
The school even had a table at last year's National Night Out even in the township.
It appears that Martinez did run some sort of program previously in Pleasantville.
There was an advertisement for the new one on the side of Sergio Martinez’s car noted by the Pleasantville officer who made the arrest, Casadia said.
He had no details about the school at that time.
They are not allowed to have contact with anyone younger than 18.
