A Cape May County teacher accused of sexually assaulting her student for years resulting in a now-5-year-old girl was ordered released Tuesday.
Laura Caron, 34, of Cape May Court House, is accused of sexually assaulting a former student for years while he and his siblings lived with her as a "resource parent."
A resource parent is usually a term used when fostering, but that was not the case, her attorney confirmed to BreakingAC.
The Division of Child Protection and Permanency has an active case, Judge Christopher Gibson said during his ruling.
Gibson gave restrictions, including no contact with the victim or the school district.
Caron also must comply with DCPP as far as contact with her daughter.
The state charged the case before the investigation was completed, defense attorney John Tumelty alleged, pointing out that there has been no DNA test completed to prove Caron's daughter is related to the victim.
A warrant has been obtained to collect Caron's and her daughter's DNA.
The defense successfully argued for release, pointing out that the only reason detention was recommended by the public safety assessment was based upon the nature of the charges.
The public safety assessment is used to held decide whether a defendant is detained under bail reform.
Caron had the lowest score for both dangerousness and risk of flight.
The suspended fifth-grade teacher has worked for the Middle Township School District for 11 years with no complaints, Tumelty said.
He also pointed out that the woman's mother also lived in the home. There is no indication she was aware of any abuse.
Caron had a brief appearance last week via video from the Cape May County jail. Her attorney, John Tumelty, told BreakingAC he could not yet comment on the case.
Caron met the victim's mother while teaching the boys. Both the victim and his younger brother had Caron as a teacher.
The boys and their sister would stay with Caron at her home once or twice a week beginning in 2016, when the victim was 11 years old. Eventually, the boys moved in with Caron, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
It was not clear why the children were living with Caron.
A Facebook post last month led to the discovery of the sexual relationship, after the victim's father noted that Caron's child resembled him and his son.
This Facebook post by the victim's father is apparently what alerted police."One or two perhaps more could call me many ... things but never ever could I be called a dummy," the man wrote. "Tell me y'all don't see (what) I see. If that ain't my exact DNA it's definitely my son's and we both know I never touched you."
The post included several photos of a little girl. BreakingAC is not sharing the photos or the father's name to protect the victim and little girl.
The victim was 13 when the baby was born and Caron was 28.
Middle Township's superintendent received a screenshot of the post with a tip that there may be a sexual relationship, the affidavit states. An investigation led to the charges, including aggravated sexual assault.
It appears the victim's siblings saw signs of the abuse, including waking up to find their brother no longer in their bedroom and instead in Caron's bed. The two also were seen going into the bathroom together with the door locked, and then coming out both we and in towels.
At least one alleged sexual encounter was witnessed by the brother when Caron and the victim apparently believed he was asleep.
The victim's sister also had a screenshot where her brother admitted to being the father of Caron's child, but asking her not to tell anyone because he did not want Caron to get into trouble.
