Couple charged with sexual assault of teen

A community barber and a local cosmetologist have been hit with a laundry list of jaw-dropping charges tied to allegations of a sickening child abuse scandal that reportedly unfolded in a quiet St Mary community sometime in June and July 2023.

Police say the ordeal unfolded when the teenage girl visited the couple's home --with permission from her guardian--to help babysit their infant. But instead of gratitude, what allegedly followed was a twisted sequence of depravity.

The teen was allegedly held hostage inside the house for two days while the barber, 23, repeatedly assaulted her. It is alleged that the hairdresser, 26, walked into the room while the barber was sexually assaulting the teen, but did not intervene. Rather, she allegedly encouraged him to continue his actions.

It is further alleged that on the third day of the girl's detention, the cosmetologist fed the teen food, after which she lost consciousness. The girl reported that she woke up on a beach in another parish and contacted her mother afterwards. A report was made to the police, and an investigation was launched into the matter. The couple was taken into custody during an operation on June 1, where they were subsequently charged.

Multiple charges have been slapped on the pair, including five counts of rape, unlawful detention, sexual touching of a child, aiding and abetting rape, child cruelty, and even drugging a minor.