By Chris Brown

Crtime

Alberta toddler rescued, mother facing sex charges: ALERT

Feb 7, 2023 | 5:11 PM

WARNING: This story contains details that will be upsetting for some readers.

EDMONTON – An Alberta toddler has been rescued from suspected sexual exploitation and the child’s mother is facing multiple child sex and pornography charges.

ALERT says its Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) rescued the child on Feb. 4 after receiving a tip from the FBI less than 48 hours earlier that alleged prolific and ongoing sexual abuse of an Alberta child.

The child was taken to hospital for evaluation and has received help from a variety of specialized support services, including the Zebra Center for Child Protection and Edmonton Police Services’ Child at Risk Response Team. Alberta’s Children’s Services is also involved.

The alleged sexual abuse was uncovered following the arrest of a 30-year-old man in Yuba City, Calif. in October 2022. The man was charged with multiple child sex offences. Investigation and forensic analysis of devices seized from the man revealed he had been conversing over the social media platform Kik with a woman in the Edmonton region. The chats depicted and communicated graphic sexual abuse of the woman’s child.

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The information was shared with the RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Crime Center and ICE on Feb. 3. ICE acted quickly to identify and relied upon exigent circumstances to identify and locate the suspect and rescue the child.

The victim’s 35-year-old mother has been charged with

• Sexual exploitation;
• Sexual interference;
• Arrangement to commit a sexual offence against a child;
• Making child pornography;
• Distribution of child pornography;
• Accessing child pornography; and
• Possession of child pornography.

The mother’s name is not being released in order to protect the identity of the victim. She has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 22 in Sherwood Park.

The victim’s father was unaware of the alleged offences and has been fully cooperative with the investigation.

ALERT says a number of partner agencies were involved in this investigation including Strathcona County RCMP, Edmonton Police Service, ALERT Surveillance teams, FBI and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.

Anyone with information about this case or any child exploitation situation is asked to contact their local police or to report their concern anonymously at cybertip.ca.