WEST JORDAN, Utah (ABC 4 News) – No one would ever think that taking photos of their child would actually get them in trouble with the police, but this was not the case of a West Jordan mom who got her house ransacked and her computer confiscated for taking photos of her five year-old daughter dressed as the Little Mermaid.
The mom was pulled over on her way home from dropping her daughter off at school. She was escorted by police to her home where she was told they had a search warrant.
She said about twelve police officers were standing in her house and going through her belongings.
“All of a sudden, you have 12 people standing in your house going through everything you own,searching and questioning your character.”
Police ransacked her home and even confiscated her work computer; but she said the biggest surprise came next, when police told her that the Walmart employee had said the photographs were a “present for him,” meaning the victims’ husband.
The mom said the comments and allegations of sexually exploiting her five- year-old were completely untrue.Her husband said that they were not only degrading, but shocking.
The husband defended his wife, saying, “She is very protective, sometimes even overly protective.”
So the question raised is,what were these pictures of?
“She was dressed up in an Ariel wig with lipstick on, a little school uniform, and she was posing and being silly,” the mom explained.
West Jordan Police said,in order for it to be child pornography, it must be considered both offensive and sexually implicit. They said this after the detectives and prosecuting authorities reviewed the photos and drafted the search warrant.
The police also said, “we try to be as considerate as we can of everybody's rights, while also trying to protect the community and the victims.”
Walmart responded with the following statement, “We recognize that this is an emotional matter for everyone involved, as well as a sensitive situation that we take seriously. we believe our associates acted appropriately in notifying authorities who then made the decision whether to investigate."
The parents gave an important caution,” Be incredibly carefully, when you go get those developed, you may be put through the same hell that we went through.”
