MERCER COUNTY, W.Va.(WVVA)- Christmas time is the season for giving but some presents could provide a gateway for online predators to entice your child.
“Children have more access to the outside world now than any other time in history,” said Detective S.A. Sommers, Mercer County Sheriff’s Department.
Sommers is working out of the Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, investigating hi-tech crimes against children on the internet and child abuse. He’s urging parents to be proactive and face the tough reality, that online predators are always lurking.
“When you give a child a device that connects to the internet, it’s the same thing as opening up your front door and allowing strangers into your home,” said Sommers. “That’s how parents need to view it.”
Sommers is urging parents to activate parental controls and learn about the devices’ safety features, to monitor any unusual activities or communications.
In a recent analysis conducted by The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the results for online enticement revealed, nearly all the children reported not having known their extorter but through their online communications.
In some cases, online enticement opens the doors for a predator to commit additional offenses. And if a criminal abuse allegation is made in Mercer County, a collaborative team responds, which includes the Prosecuting Office, Sheriff’s Department and Child Protect.
In 2018, Child Protect served 365 child.
“That’s literally a child for every day of the year,” said Shiloh Woodard, Executive Director for Child Protect. “When a child walks through our doors, we don’t necessarily know what they’ve been exposed to but we do know there have been concerning behaviors.”
“We would love to work ourselves out of a job,” said Woodard. “We would love for child abuse to not be a problem kids have to deal with but as long as there is child abuse and maltreatment in our community, we’ll be here to help that child heal and move forward.”
Sommers hopes to reduce the caseload for online crimes against children in the county but it requires all parties working together for the safety and success of each child, including the parents.
If you suspect child abuse or neglect inside of a home, you can report those concerns to the Department of Health and Human Resources in the county you reside.
Reports can also be made to the Abuse and Neglect hotline at:
( 1-800-352-6513 ), 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.