Misty Roberts, the former mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana, is on trial for allegedly having sex with her son's teenage friend at a pool party in 2024. The 43-year-old faces charges of third-degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles after resigning from office in July 2024.
During the trial, jurors were shown images of the party, including children holding drinks by the pool. In interviews, Roberts' son told investigators he saw his mother having sex with his friend through a window crack, while her daughter reported seeing them 'on top of each other'. However, when the children testified, the son said he was not certain what he saw.
The prosecution presented a text message in which the son appears to tell Roberts: 'He is seventeen.' The alleged victim was 16 at the time. Roberts' nephew testified that he used his phone's camera to see what was happening but was unsure if he recorded anything, and any video was deleted from Snapchat before handing the phone to investigators.
None of the witnesses said they saw any 'private parts' of Roberts or the alleged victim. After the incident, the boy's mother texted Roberts to check if she was pregnant; Roberts replied she was on birth control. A DoorDash driver confirmed delivering emergency contraception to Roberts' home.
Roberts has pleaded not guilty to charges of indecent behaviour with a juvenile and carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Her defence argued that a key part of her son's interview was not transcribed, with the interviewer allegedly urging him to 'just say it once, and we can move on.'
Roberts resigned as mayor in July 2024, stating she needed to adjust her focus and priorities. She was re-elected in 2022 with 60% of the vote in DeRidder, a city of nearly 10,000 residents.
