WORCESTER — Today, a Worcester County Superior Court jury found a Charlton woman guilty of raping a 12-year-old child in her care.
Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr., said in a statement that Heather Wright-Craft, 52, of Charlton, was convicted of two counts of child rape—one aggravated by age difference and another by her status as a mandated reporter—stemming from a 2015 incident while she was serving as a foster parent. She was acquitted of a separate charge of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
Following the verdict, Wright-Craft’s bail was revoked and she was taken into custody.
According to prosecutors, the rape occurred in Charlton in 2015 while Wright-Craft was fostering the victim. She was arrested and charged in August 2017 in Dudley District Court and later indicted in Worcester Superior Court in March 2018.
“I want to thank the Charlton Police Department for their thorough investigation in this case,” said District Attorney Early. “I would also like to thank Assistant District Attorney Thomas Ayres and Victim Witness Advocate Rachel Murphy for their excellent work on this case.”
Judge Valerie Yarashus is scheduled to sentence Wright-Craft on October 21, 2025, in Worcester Superior Court.
