The case of Middle Township teacher Laura Caron, who is charged with the sexual assault of a student, has been sent to a grand jury, according to court records.
Caron, 34, is facing charges of aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. The prosecution has alleged that she began a sexual relationship with a former student when he was 11 years old.
The charges further state that Caron, who had arranged to have the student live in her house, had sexual relations with him often and gave birth to his child in 2019, when she was 28 and he was 13. The boy is now 19.
Her victim has leapt to her defense, saying in a recent interview with the DailyMail.com that all charges should be dropped against Caron since he initiated everything. He calls the statements that he began having sex with Caron when he was 11 “crazy,” but admits to being the father of her child just two years later, at age 13.
Caron was a fifth grade teacher and basketball coach at Middle Township Elementary School #2 when she met the boy after having his sister in her class. She made friends with his mother, and eventually this led to the boy, then age 11, moving into her home. The boy’s brother and sister also spent time living with her.
Caron has since been placed on paid leave by the school district.
The boy says in his interview with the DailyMail.com, “I love her with all my heart. She was there for me and my family.
“They need to drop all charges. I wasn’t groomed or raped or manipulated by her. She never initiated anything.”
Caron remains free while awaiting the next steps in the legal process. Superior Court Judge J. Christopher Gibson ended her pretrial incarceration at a hearing Jan. 21. The prosecution had requested the incarceration continue until the conclusion of the trial.
Caron’s now 5-year-old daughter is in the care of a relative. Both parents are under an order that prevents them from seeing or talking with the child.
County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland said in a statement, “Teachers hold a position of great trust, and the allegations in this case represent a deeply troubling breach of that trust.”
If convicted, Caron could get a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison.
Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
