Central Alberta child suffered 'prolonged abuse' by family member after disclosing to multiple people: investigators

Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT)

A central Alberta man is accused of sexually assaulting a family member for five years.

The ALERT Internet Child Exploitation announced seven charges against the 28-year-old man – unnamed to protect the identity of the victim – on Thursday.

He was arrested March 9 after the girl told an RCMP school resource officer what was going on at home and the SRO contacted authorities.

"I'm aware of numerous times that this was brought forward and, again, highlights the incredible bravery of this individual to not give up," commented Acting Insp. Jon Morrison during a news conference in Edmonton.

"It was various people within that circle of trust, I would say, around that child," he added.

"The first individual that this would have been reported to would have been approximately one year ago."

Investigators also have not revealed where in central Alberta the alleged crimes took place.

The man is charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, making sexually explicit material available to a child, making child pornography, transmitting child pornography, possessing child pornography, and accessing child pornography.

He is due in court in May.

The victim is receiving support from multiple agencies.

CHARGES POSSIBLE FOR OTHER ADULTS

Morrison said ICE is investigating whether charges can be laid against the other adults the girl disclosed the abuse to, either under Alberta's Child Youth and Family Enhancement Act or Canada's Criminal Code.

"It is believed through the investigation that the prolonged abuse could have been stopped earlier, yet through reasons that are subject to this investigation, were not," Morrison told reporters.

"Failing to act or report allegations of sexual abuse on a child, is unacceptable. There is a legal and moral obligation to report sexual abuse of a child."

He said he was disheartened the girl wasn't helped sooner and commended the school resource officer for building a relationship of trust.

The situation reinforces the need for a collaborative response to child abuse, Morrison said.

"We need parents, coaches, teachers, community members, to step up and be an advocate for children to ensure sexual abuse is being reported. The truth is we cannot keep up to the file intake," Morrison said.

"Initially, it's important to listen to the disclosure. Don't ask questions. Obviously, get the information. And then most importantly, you have to report the abuse. The appropriate place to report that is through Alberta Child and Family Services or to the police directly."

More information from ALERT is available online.

Potential child abuse can be reported to 911, the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-387-5437, Edmonton Police Service’s Children’s Services Crisis Unit at [phone], Alberta's Child Intervention Services at 1-800-638-0715, or cybertip.ca anonymously.