BOSTON — A New Hampshire woman accused of taking explicit photographs of young children at a Massachusetts daycare will remain behind bars as she awaits trial, according to a court decision released Wednesday.
Lindsay Groves, 38, of Hudson, New Hampshire, and her former partner, 39-year-old Stacie Laughton, of Nashua, New Hampshire are facing charges of trading sexually explicit pictures of young children that were allegedly taken in the bathroom of the Creative Minds Daycare in Tyngsboro, where Groves once worked.
The allegations involve both boys and girls.
The decision to keep Groves in a federal detention facility as she awaits trial comes after a federal judge in August granted her a motion for a pretrial release.
On Wednesday, Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor granted the government’s motion to revoke Groves’ pretrial release.
“The Court agrees with the magistrate judge’s finding that the government has met its burden of showing that defendant is a danger to the community,” Saylor wrote in his decision.
“In light of the involvement of multiple minor victims, defendant’s abuse of her position of trust, and her alleged use of that position to physically exploit them, this factor weighs strongly in favor of detention,” Saylor wrote.
Former N.H. lawmaker, Tyngsboro daycare teacher facing child pornography charges
Furthermore, “the Court agrees with the magistrate judge that the evidence supports a finding that defendant poses a serious danger to children in the community if she were to be released. She has demonstrated both a capacity for influencing and manipulating young children and abusing a position of trust,” Saylor wrote.
According to prosecutors, at the Tyngsboro daycare where she worked, Groves allegedly used regular bathroom breaks for the children (routine diaper/pull-up changes prior to “naptime”) to take multiple photos of the prepubescent children in a private bathroom and then sent the photos to Laughton via text message, U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said in June.
Prosecutors said a review of Grove’s cellphone allegedly revealed more than 10,000 text messages between Groves and Laughton, including at least four sexually explicit images of children who appear to be approximately three to five years old.
Both Groves and Laughton were indicted in July on three counts each of sexual exploitation of children. Groves is also charged with one count of distribution of child pornography.
Laughton previously served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and was the state’s first openly transgender lawmaker.
The conditions of Groves’ release would have required her to live with her parents and no one under the age of 18 would be allowed to visit the home. Groves would also have to refrain from accessing her phone.
“In short, and under the circumstances, the Court is not convinced that there is a condition or combination of conditions of release that would reasonably assure the safety of other persons in the community, particularly minor children,” Saylor wrote in his decision on Wednesday.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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