Crime & Safety

NJ Elementary School Teacher Admits Sexually Assaulting Student

Laura Caron is accused of sexually assaulting her student and having a child with him when he was 13 and she was 28.

Laura Caron is accused of sexually assaulting her student and having a child with him when he was 13 and she was 28.
Laura Caron is accused of sexually assaulting her student and having a child with him when he was 13 and she was 28. (Cape May County Correctional Facility)

MIDDLE TWP., NJ — The South Jersey teacher accused of sexually assaulting her student and having his baby has pleaded guilty, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said.

Laura Caron, 36, pleaded guilty on Oct. 28 to the charge of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland said.

This guilty plea includes in a five-year New Jersey State Prison sentence along with forfeiting her teaching license and all future public employment. Before Caron serves that sentence, she will be evaluated at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center at Avenel for classification to determine whether she is deemed repetitive and/or compulsive which could impact her sentence.

Find out what's happening in Ocean Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Caron will also be required to register on the Megan's Law Offender Registry and is subject to parole supervision for life.

The charges against Caron, a Cape May Court House resident, stem from a period of four years where she lived with her former student and sexually assaulted him repeatedly, giving birth to his child, according to officials.

Find out what's happening in Ocean Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The fifth grade teacher in the Middle Township School District gave birth to the then 13-year-old's child in 2019 when she was 28, according to the arrest affidavit obtained by Patch.

Caron was the boy's and his brother's fifth grade teacher, authorities said. His mother became close with Caron and began to let them spend the night at her house when Caron offered to watch the children - starting at one or two times a week, which turned into the boys and their sister living permanently at Caron's home from 2016 to 2020, according to the documents. This is the time period that prosecutors allege Caron was assaulting the child. Read more: New Details: NJ Teacher Lived With Student Who Fathered Her Child

The alleged victim has denied being a victim, saying that he "started everything," and said that all charges filed against Caron should be dropped. Read more: NJ Teen Who Impregnated Teacher Says He's Not A Victim: Report

His sister accused Caron of manipulating the family. Read more: NJ Teacher 'Manipulated' Family Of Student Whose Baby She Had, Sister Says: Report

Providing the Avenel evaluation is completed, Caron is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2027.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.