Mother charged with sexual abuse of toddler in Edmonton area after FBI tip
A Strathcona County toddler has been rescued from suspected sexual exploitation, and the child's mother has been charged, police said.
The child was rescued on Saturday after police received a tip from the FBI in the United States 48 hours earlier detailing prolific and ongoing sexual abuse of a young child in Alberta.
The alleged sexual abuse was uncovered after the arrest of Brian Davis, 30, in Yuba City, Calif.
In September 2022, police in Nevada were investigating a possible child sexual abuse case.
A woman in Idaho contacted police in Sparks, Nev., after she was sent a video over Snapchat of a man sexually abusing a girl.
The man claimed to be living in Sparks.
Sparks police officers determined the man was a resident of Yuba City, Calif.
On Oct. 12, Yuba City police were contacted by the FBI, who provided them with the internet IP address of the suspect.
Yuba City police identified the man as Brian Davis.
Brian Davis (Credit: Yuba City Police Department)
A search warrant was conducted the same day, and Davis was arrested and charged with numerous counts of possession and distribution of child pornography, and a charge of oral copulation.
Investigators discovered Davis had been communicating through the social media platform Kik with a woman somewhere in the Edmonton region.
The chats between the two showed graphic sexual abuse of the woman's child, ALERT said.
"I’ve been a police officer for nearly 22 years and with this unit for nearly three, and this is some of the most egregious material I’ve been exposed to," Sgt. Kerry Shima told reporters on Tuesday afternoon.
After receiving the tip, investigators worked quickly to identify the mother and the child.
"The FBI provided us with that information on Friday morning and as a unit we pulled together and recognized the urgency of the situation. Our unit did an incredible job of working around the clock from Friday into Saturday night to do this."
The 35-year-old mother of the child 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 has not been released to protect the identity of the toddler.
"We’re typically dealing with male offenders. It’s very rare that we’re going to come across a mother offending on a child as well. That in itself as everyone can understand is quite shocking," Shima said.
"Early indications in our investigation are that the abuse has been ongoing for quite some time."
The woman has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in Sherwood Park Provincial Court on Feb. 22.
The toddler was taken to hospital for evaluation.
Shima says the child has since been released from hospital and is receiving help from a variety of specialized agencies.
Investigators say the toddler's father was unaware of the alleged offences, and has been fully cooperative with the investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.