A 16-year-old in Alberta was recently arrested and charged with offences relating to child pornography, and now police are seeking to identify the victim who may be on Vancouver Island.
The suspect in the case lived in Bon Accord, Alberta, at the time of their arrest, but police say had recently lived near Nanaimo and Ladysmith. As a result, police believe the assault may have taken place either in the Edmonton area or on Vancouver Island.
The 16-year-old, who cannot be named according to police, has been charged with possession of child pornography, access child pornography, and transmission of child pornography.
Police are releasing a picture of the victim’s bedroom, in hopes that someone recognizes the scene and reaches out to police.
“Our hope is that someone recognizes this crime scene and can help locate our victim. We believe this victim has suffered extensively and want to provide them with the support they deserve,” Sgt. Kerry Shima, ALERT Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) said in a news release.
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ALERT released this image of the victim’s bedroom in hopes it will help to identify her. (ALERT handout image)
Police have been unable to identify the victim, but believe she is between six and 10 years old. The victim is believed to have known the suspect.
“ICE is limited in what information can be provided in order to protect the suspect’s identity under the Youth Criminal Justice Act,” the release says.
This was first reported to ICE in July 2023 by the RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (NCECC). Police say the suspect was allegedly uploading the materials on Discord.
The computers and electronic devices seized from the suspect are undergoing a full forensic analysis, police say.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police in their area. In Edmonton, police can be reached at 780-423-4567. In Nanaimo, RCMP can be reached at 250-754-2345. In Ladysmith, RCMP can be reached at 250-245-2215.
To report anonymously, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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