Other Criminal Charges & Offenses Advice please!!

[kbtb2412]

Jurisdiction

California

Hey guys
I have been a forum stalker for a while and have really enjoyed some of the great advice and discussions all of you contributors facilitate. However, I never thought that I would actually need to use it for my own needs. Well here I am!

I am a mother living in California and don't really know how to do deal with something that has recently come up regarding my daughter. I regularly check my daughter's phone to make sure that my 15 year old daughter doesn't engage in any inappropriate apps or discussions on her phone. Well, yesterday I checked her phone and some disturbing things came up.

I was scrolling through her pictures on her camera and she had pictures describing an explicit truth or dare game followed by screenshots of explicit messages from a conversation. I brought this up with her and she said that she was bored and using this anonymous chatting app to "have some fun". She told me she never sent info or nude/explicit pictures of herself, but she sent some half body nude pictures of things she found on the internet. I found out according to her that this so called game is played by others at her school as well. Along with that, I discovered that the screenshots of the explicit conversations were over the last 2-3 months and were with random men on the internet many of whom were much older. She told me that these conversations never lasted more than 20-45 minutes and she deleted them when they were over.

To begin with, I am shocked at this discovery. I have had conversations with my daughter about online activity. However, I never knew this is actually what happens these days. Is this normal behavior for a 15 year old girl or is this some deviant behavior I should be worried about?

Additionally, I am not sure how to proceed because I feel like bringing this to the attention of the law enforcement. However, all I have is 2 screenshot images of conversations with the other person's username who was chatting with my daughter. The problem is that my there are only a couple explicit exchanges in the conversation and my daughter instigated everything. Also, the app says it is only for 18+ individuals and while my daughter said she always told the people she was chatting with her real age she doesn't have any tangible evidence she told them this because her profile says she is 18. Do you think law enforcement would go through the trouble of tracing anonymous conversations from 2-3 months ago using these screenshot pictures? Or do you think this is not something they would pursue? I have done some research on the internet and I have seen that usually there needs to more information than just this for police to start an investigation.

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[shrinkmaster]

Its not a question of if they will or wont. You can turn info over to them let them decide. You have bigger issues to deal with. Non legal issues. May I suggest a "parenting" forum that is hosted by this site! There you can find other parents who may have dealt with same or similar situations. They can tell you how they dealt with their issues.

Parent Nook Forums - Index page

 

[mightymoose]

I agree you have more of a parenting issue to deal with.
I will say that what your daughter did is not "normal" behavior these days. There is an underlying issue that led her to engage in that activity. You need to make it clear to get that such behavior is unacceptable, and why. If she wants to have these little gizmos she has to show she can be trusted.

Personally I would not bother reporting this to law enforcement. They are already aware these things happen and it seems you don't have much to work with.

You might consider reporting it to the school though. If there truly are more students engaging in this then the school might opt to take some action and notify parents.

 

[Disabled Vet]

How do you know the one on the other end isn't some 12 year old boy doing the same thing she is? I think its time to remove the phone from your daughter. At least turn the data off so that she can only make calls.

 

[army judge]

Hey guys
I have been a forum stalker for a while and have really enjoyed some of the great advice and discussions all of you contributors facilitate. However, I never thought that I would actually need to use it for my own needs. Well here I am!

You MAY have been that which you allege yourself to be:


Minor Daughter is Engaging in Sexual Banter With Adults on Her Phone

I, however, have arrived at another conclusion.

 

[kbtb2412]

Hey guys thanks for the help!!

@army judge hahaha that is me on that other page as well. I posted my questions simultaneously on both pages. I am not a spammer, but I thought I could get better advice via multiple forums. I am sorry if this is an issue. I find you guys here to be much more helpful.

I am going to impose some further punishments on my daughter and have already had a talk with her and taken her phone away. I know I have to patch up some parenting holes as well.

Regarding who she was chatting with, she took a picture of the other person's profile picture and username when she was chatting (she did it to help her find the person so she could chat with the other person the next time). However, the profile picture is of some famous youtube celebrity which is obviously fake and on this specific chatting app (I looked into it quite a bit) you change your username each time you enter the app in addition to having the option of changing your profile picture. I found no user with that same profile picture and username on the app today. I guess the guy could have been either 12 or 50! Dangerous stuff.

The app is not that mainstream or well known, but they say they wipe their servers of all chat messages and photos each week which I guess would destroy all evidence of the chats except for the pictures my daughter had. My last question is you guys really think that law enforcement would probably look into this, right?

 

[mightymoose]

I will tell you, as a California deputy sheriff, this would most likely not be investigated. Proving who the other person is could be near impossible, it is not clear that a crime occurred, and any investigation would inevitably lead to other jurisdictions in other states.

 

[kbtb2412]

Yes, you are quite right.

I have been doing extensive research of cases in the past and haven't found one similar to the situation I am in. Usually people are caught if the conversation is still ongoing, there has been contact information exchanged like email or phone number, or if you actually know the person.

By the way, do you guys know a website that compiles a list of old cases by subject?

 

[kbtb2412]

I just wanted to update you guys on my situation because all of you helped me out. I have taken my phone away from my daughter and have restricted all use of electronic devices as well. I am working on my parenting just like all of you have encouraged me to do. I have also decided not to report anything to law enforcement.

@mightymoose I just had a couple questions for you if you don't mind out of personal interest. I was first wondering why you think it is not clear a crime occurred? Also, I know law enforcement does deal with teen sexting cases, but I was wondering what evidence is needed for them to actually investigate? Does it have to be more substantial in terms of pictures, readily available contact information of the criminals, or the fact that it is still ongoing? I am guessing that the few screenshots my daughter has isn't enough, and also the fact she only chatted for 45 minutes which shows that it wasn't really a "relationship".

 

[mightymoose]

I was first wondering why you think it is not clear a crime occurred?

Too many unknown facts.
The age of the other parties is unknown. Images shared were apparently not of underage juveniles.
You say the language was explicit (and no need to elaborate) but whether or not that factors into a crime depends greatly on the age and intent of the unknown other party.
Your daughter willingly initiated the contact.

Your daughter is really the only one an investigation would develop evidence against.
Your daughter's age could shield her from any criminal liability for her part.

Also, I know law enforcement does deal with teen sexting cases, but I was wondering what evidence is needed for them to actually investigate?

Any reliable information that helps to establish the true identity of the parties involved. A phone number, an ip address, an email address, photos of the suspects, complete transcripts of conversations, and content that tends to support that the recipient knew the other party is a minor.

Does it have to be more substantial in terms of pictures, readily available contact information of the criminals, or the fact that it is still ongoing?

No, but the odds of the matter being thoroughly investigated will increase if these factors are present.

I am guessing that the few screenshots my daughter has isn't enough, and also the fact she only chatted for 45 minutes which shows that it wasn't really a "relationship".

There is likely no way to verify the authenticity of the infuriating your statutes phone contaims. The length of time they chatted isn't very significant. The age of the participants and the content they share matters most.

 

[kbtb2412]

@mightymoose Wow! Thank you so much for such a thorough and complete response.

I do not have any identifying information of this other person. She has a picture of the guy, but is a catfish picture as well.My daughter tells me she told the other person her age, but she doesn't have hard evidence of that, just word of mouth. Also, her profile says she is 18 so that probably undermines what she says right?

Sorry for all the questions. This is the last one I promise. Thanks for the help!

 

[shrinkmaster]

Once again you have a "parenting" issue not really a legal one. The advice you might seek is from other parents who may gone through similar situations and see what they did and how that worked for them. This legal site here hosts a "parenting" forum link below

Parent Nook Forums - Index page

 

[zddoodah]

Is this normal behavior for a 15 year old girl or is this some deviant behavior I should be worried about?

Needless to say, this question raises a parenting issue, not a legal issue.

Do you think law enforcement would go through the trouble of tracing anonymous conversations from 2-3 months ago using these screenshot pictures? Or do you think this is not something they would pursue?

I think that, if you want to report this to law enforcement, you should do it (or not), regardless of what one or more anonymous strangers on the internet think.

I have done some research on the internet and I have seen that usually there needs to more information than just this for police to start an investigation.

Seems to me that, in the time it took to conduct this research, you could have contacted the police about this and would know whether or not they're interested.