Teen stashed pipe bombs at family day care

Morgan City Police were investigating a single allegation of the molestation of a 6-year-old juvenile Friday afternoon when they discovered three pipe bombs n two of which were live n hidden in a home that doubled as a day care site.

Authorities arrested 17-year-old Thomas Michael Breaux, of 3014 Allison St., and charged him with sexual battery of a minor, possession of child pornography and manufacturing a bomb. He is being held at the Morgan City jail in lieu of a $250,000 bond.

Police Chief Marc Folse said Monday that Breaux lived at home with his parents, Steve and DeeDee Breaux, who prior to Friday, operated a private, in-home child care service at the residence. Folse said the molestation investigation did not involve any children associated with the day care operation.

“However, we are continuing our investigation,” he said. “We want to speak with every parent and grandparent who had a child enrolled in that home.”

Breaux, a junior at Morgan City High School, had no prior arrests, authorities said.

Morgan City Police detectives and Louisiana State Police investigators were executing a search warrant at the Breaux home late Friday when the bombs were discovered hidden in the teen’s bedroom, Folse said. He said the bombs appeared to have been made with materials obtained at a hardware store.

Police said one of the bombs was an ordinary metal pipe bomb, while another was made of plastic, designed to explode upon impact.

Shortly after 5:30 p.m., homes in the 3000 block of Allison Street were evacuated, he said.

“Should one of the bombs have exploded, persons immediately adjacent to and in front of the Breaux home would [have] died or would have been severely injured,” the police chief said.

The state police’s bomb disposal group was also notified.

“When the [unit] arrived, they utilized special equipment, including a ‘robot,’ to remove the bombs from the residence,” Folse explained. “They were detonated in a controlled pit consisting of sandbags.”

Neighbors of the Breaux family reported seeing police carry large bags out of the home and place the items in squad cars and other police vehicles.

Folse said investigators believe Breaux acted alone in building the bombs, but the case is still under review. Authorities are uncertain why he made the bombs.

Louisiana State Police forensic investigators in Shreveport will spend the next few weeks scouring Breaux’s computer, which was among the items taken from the home.

“All I can say at this point is that we’re in possession of [items on the hard drive] that could allude to child pornography,” Folse said.

Authorities said Breaux is being charged as an adult. If convicted of the bomb-making charges, he could face up to 20 to 30 years in jail.

Teen stashed pipe bombs at family day care