PHOENIX -
A valley mom and wife stands accused of a shocking crime -- soliciting and sleeping with teens she met on Facebook.
The 35-year-old woman posed as a 16-year-old girl online, and according to police, that wasn't the only lie she was telling.
Phoenix Police say that for the past five years, Jennifer Dempsey has been telling her family she has cancer, even going so far as to shave her head.
She used the same excuse with investigators who questioned her about misconduct with the minors, apparently to avoid arrest. But there's something else. Police say Dempsey went to the parents of the two teens she had relationships with and told them she was pregnant, and when they saw her, those parents alerted police.
Tom Popik noticed a heavy police presence at the home across the street from him last Thursday.
"When I came out and noticed she was kneeling on the ground, bowing down and yelling 'why me' or something to that effect," sad neighbor Tom Popik.
The woman who lived there was in cuffs. Popik was not the only one concerned by what was going on.
"Came home from school, there was a forensics van sitting out here, they were examining the seats of her car," said neighbor Derek Stowd, 17.
Derek Stowd was surprised to learn his neighbor, 35-year-old Jennifer Dempsey, was being arrested for sexual misconduct with victims his age.
Sgt. Trent Crump says Dempsey started separate relationships with a 14- and 16-year-old boy through Facebook.
"The victims are not known to each other, one was actually a friend who was known by her daughter and the second she met at a youth camp," said Crump.
Investigators uncovered numerous cell phones Dempsey allegedly used to contact the victims. The sex acts, according to police, were performed inside her home and car at a local park.
"The first juvenile that brought a case forward to us was after the parents had ended up meeting this supposed girlfriend. They didn't believe she was as young as she was portraying to their son," said Crump.
Dempsey made statements to police admitting to the relationships.
"We look up to adults being teenagers and for someone to do that it's crazy," says neighbor Elizabeth Slipek.
Police are concerned there may be more victims. They're asking parents to check their teenaged sons' Facebook pages. If you see this woman or have additional information call the Family Investigations Bureau.
TIPLINE: 602-534-2121
Jennifer Dempsey
