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
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Man convicted of involuntary manslaughter in father's drowning, told police he was baptizing him
A Massachusetts man who told police he was exorcising a demon and performing a baptism when he shoved his father's head under water multiple times has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in his death.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.