Mass. daycare worker and former N.H. State Rep. charged with child exploitation, child pornography

BOSTON — Boston 25 has learned a second person has been taken into custody late Thursday afternoon by Nashua Police in connection with the sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography at a Massachusetts daycare.

Stacie M. Laughton, 39, of Derry, New Hampshire is being charged with three counts of distribution of child pornography and child sexual abuse images.

Allegations of sexual misconduct came to light in court documents earlier Thursday, alleging Lindsay Groves, 38, of Hudson, N.H., a former employee of Creative Minds Daycare in Tyngsborough, MA, took nude images of children at the daycare and sent the photos to Laughton, with whom she was previously in an intimate relationship, between May 2022 and June 2023.

The allegations involve both boys and girls.

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 announced on Thursday.

Prosecutors say a review of Grove’s cellphone allegedly revealed over 2,500 text messages between Groves and Laughton.

According to court documents, these messages allegedly included discussion about, and transfer of, explicit photographs that Groves had taken of children while employed at Creative Minds – including at least four sexually explicit images of children who appear to be approximately three to five years old.

Groves was arraigned in a New Hampshire state courtroom following her arrest and was ordered not to work in childcare, not to access the Internet, and not to have unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18, according to court documents.

Groves is being held by Nashua Police as she waits for her federal arraignment in Boston on Friday.

Laughton is being held by Nashua Police and will be arraigned at a New Hampshire court on Friday.

Boston 25 has reached out to the daycare for a comment but has not heard back.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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