St. Albert Parents Charged After Children Sexually Abused

Edmonton… The parents of two St. Albert children have been charged by ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation unit after alleged instances of sexual abuse were discovered.

The Edmonton-based Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit charged the parents on May 2, 2017. ICE alleges that the father had committed sexual offences against his two school-age children and that the mother was aware the abuse had taken place but failed to contact police.

ICE is working with the Zebra Child Protection Centre and Alberta’s Child and Family Services to provide support for the school-age children. St. Albert RCMP provided assistance on the investigation.

The investigation dates back to March 2017 and began with a referral from National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning a social media user uploading child pornography. ICE was able to identify the suspect and a search warrant was conducted at the family home in St. Albert, where a number of computer and electronic devices were seized.

Subsequent to arrest, ICE discovered that the suspect’s two children were allegedly sexually abused. ICE believes the father committed sexual abuse over a period of at least three years.

The 35-year-old father is charged with:

• Sexual assault (x 2);
• Sexual interference (x 2);
• Invitation to sexual touching (x 2);
• Making child pornography available;
• Possession of child pornography.

The 32-year-old mother is charged with causing a youth to need intervention under the province’s Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act.

The parent’s names are not being released in order to protect the identity of the children.

The Zebra Child Protection Centre is a non-profit, community based organization that was established in 2002 to improve the lives of children who have suffered abuse. As the first Child Advocacy Centre of its kind in Canada, the Zebra Centre’s model was revolutionary – bring together a community of professionals under one roof to support the child throughout the entire disclosure, investigative, judicial and healing process.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. Members of Alberta Sheriffs, Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP work in ALERT.