Children report inappropriate contact: Jackson County man arrested and arraigned

A 23-year-old Jackson County man was arraigned in Jackson District Court on April 2 after an Ingham County Sheriff’s investigation into his alleged possession of child sexually abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime. The man was initially arrested on five felonies and, according to court records, more were added after a search warrant on the man’s home led to authorities finding more sexually abusive materials.

Two Ingham County children reported an adult had contacted them inappropriately, and that led to the Ingham County Sheriff’s investigation. Detectives working the case found evidence suggesting that, in addition to having child pornography in his possession, the accused was also allegedly soliciting underage children on social media in an effort to add images to his collection.

According to the Child Rescue Coalition, 40% of parents of 7 – 12 year olds who were surveyed said it was too time consuming to monitor their child’s use of social media apps. Yet, monitoring is one of the more common recommendations for keeping children safe online. Initiating open conversations with your children is another way to keep them safe. Talk to your children about what they should do if approached—online or in person—by those seeking inappropriate actions, photos, etc.

For other age-appropriate tips on how to safeguard your children online, click the Education tab at childrescuecoalition.org.

Monitoring social media use and having open conversations with your children are two ways to help keep your children safe online. Image credit: Giovanni Gagliardi on unsplash.com