A South Jersey teacher had a baby with a boy she’s accused of sexually assaulting from 2016 to 2020 when he was as young as 13 years old.
Cape May County prosecutors arrested fifth grade teacher Laura R. Caron, 34, Wednesday on charges including the aggravated assault of a minor living in her home. She was arrested Wednesday.
Caron gave birth in 2019 to a baby who was conceived as a result of that abuse, according to NJ.com.
The educator met her alleged victim, who is now 20 years old, at Middle Township Elementary School, where he was a student and she worked as an educator. Jail records reportedly list New Year’s Day of 2018 as the date of the alleged offense.
The boy, his brother and his sister lived with Caron. Authorities said Caron’s alleged victim first spent nights at her before moving their permanently in 2016.
The children’s dad noted on Facebook that Caron’s baby resembled him and his son, according to ABC News. The victim reportedly confided to his sister in a text message that he was the father of the 5-year-old child.
She reportedly told police her brother was about 11 years old when he and Caron began sleeping in the same bed.
Caron and the victims’ parents had reportedly become friends, which led to the children staying at the teacher’s place.
“Teachers hold a position of great trust, and the allegations in this case represent a deeply troubling breach of that trust,” Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland said in a statement announcing Caron’s incarceration in the Cape May County Correctional Facility.
Prosecutors said the Middle Township School District is cooperating with investigators. Sutherland vowed his office would “work tirelessly to ensure justice is served and to support the victim and their family throughout this process.”
Caron faces a 20-year maximum sentence if convicted.