A former elementary school teacher in New Jersey, who allegedly gave birth to a baby fathered by her 13-year-old student, was indicted on charges of abuse that reportedly carried on for years.
A grand jury returned an indictment last week against 34-year-old Laura Caron on charges of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
Caron, who was a fifth grade teacher at the Middle Township Elementary School, is accused of engaging in an “inappropriate sexual relationship” from 2016 through 2020, with a student who had been living in her home, according to the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
The boy was 11 years old when the alleged abuse began, prosecutors say.
Both the student and his sibling were in Caron’s class. Their parents befriended Caron over the years and even trusted their children to stay at the teacher’s home from time to time, the complaint said. The children visited just once or twice per week at the start, but then started permanently living with the teacher.
In 2019, Caron gave birth to a child, who is believed to have been fathered by the student.
Investigators began looking into Caron after receiving a tip that the student’s father had posted on Facebook in December 2024 that Caron’s child closely resembled himself and his son, according to a criminal complaint obtained by 6ABC, citing court documents.
The victim later confirmed to investigators that he was in a sexual relationship with Caron and that he was the father of her young child, court documents allege. He was 13 years old when the baby was born.
In January, Caron was arrested and the school placed her on administrative leave after the allegations came to light, the district’s superintendent said.
“These allegations are deeply disturbing, particularly given the position of trust the defendant held in relation to the victim,” Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland announced.
“Our office remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community and will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who violate that trust.”
First-degree crimes in the state carry sentences of 10 to 20 years behind bars, while second-degree crimes carry sentences of 5 to 10 years, according to the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
