Woman accused of sexually abusing teen boy at Road Home

MIDVALE — A Midavle woman who police say groomed and then sexually abused a teen boy at the Road Home resource center in Midvale has been charged with eight felony crimes.

Angelica LaFrance, 29, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, two counts of rape of a child and sodomy on a child, all first-degree felonies; and drug possession with intent to distribute and child endangerment, third-degree felonies.

A 13-year-old boy told police he met LaFrance at the Road Home, 529 W. 7300 South, in January when she would occasionally babysit him and his brother.

"At first they just hung out," but then LaFrance told him that she 'liked him' but not to tell anyone and to keep things a secret between them," according to charging documents.

The abuse happened at the shelter and at a storage shed in Salt Lake County, the charges state. The boy told investigators that he, LaFrance and LaFrance's 3-year-old son took a ride share to the storage shed, and "he was in the storage unit while her son played with toys outside the unit," according to the charges.

"(LaFrance), in this matter, preyed upon the victim and groomed him, providing marijuana to him (while) acting as a safe space and babysitter. (She) sexually abused the victim multiple times during her time at the shelter," charging documents state.

Detectives are looking into whether there are additional victims, noting that LaFrance was investigated in September for allegedly abusing a 16-year-old boy. That case was closed without charges being filed, however, because the teen "refused to provide information to law enforcement," the charges state.

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