Police: Couple fabricated story of son's cancer to meet Syracuse football team

Martin and Jolene LaFrance, a couple from Port Byron, N.Y., fabricated a story about their son having cancer so they could meet Syracuse's football team while also soliciting donations, according to the Cayuga County Sherriff's office.

The LaFrances were charged with scheme to defraud and endangering the welfare of a child on Friday and will appear in court on May 16 to be arraigned.

The couple created a GoFundMe page for their son, CJ LaFrance - where they stated that he'd been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma - and received more than $3,300 in donations, Stephen Bailey of Syracuse.com reported.

As a result, the LaFrances were invited to Syracuse's football practice in August 2017 where 9-year-old CJ met with players and head coach Dino Babers, all of whom provided their sympathies.

An investigation into the LaFrances remains ongoing.