COWLITZ COUNTY, Washington: Fifteen men were taken into custody after an internet sting operation in southwest Washington raised suspicions of child sex abuse.
The Washington State Patrol, Longview Police, Kelso Police, and the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office conducted “Operation Net Nanny.” Eleven people were arrested when it finished at the end of October, but four more were taken into custody after a brief extension of the operation in Renton.
Authorities notably went after suspects in the following cases: child pornography, immoral communication with minors, commercial sex abuse of minors, and child rape.
“I’m proud of the deputy prosecuting attorneys in my office who worked diligently to assist in this important operation to crack down on individuals who are online trying to victimize our youth,” said Ryan Jurvakainen, the prosecutor for Cowlitz County
The following 15 suspects were apprehended during the operation, according to the Washington State Patrol:
- 53-year-old Theodore Dodge, Brewster
- 26-year-old Brandon Head, Joint Base Lewis-McChord
- 31-year-old Aaron Henderson, Olympia
- 23-year-old Braxton Hood, Longview
- 38-year-old Justin Gardner, Olympia
- 35-year-old Nikolay Migorodskiy, Kelso
- 29-year-old Robert Murray, Lake Forest Park
- 35-year-old Pedro Romero-Rivera, Rochester
- 49-year-old Travis Saban, Vancouver
- 43-year-old Phillip Thomas, Puyallup
- 30-year-old Oleem Tipikin, Molalla, Ore
- 31-year-old Alec Bagley, Renton
- 54-year-old Christopher Doyle, Burien
- 22-year-old Reinaldo Cuadrado Jr., Seattle
- 34-year-old Christopher Johnson, Seattle
WSP Chief John R. Batiste declared, “There is no greater cause than protecting the children of our community.” “Proactive efforts such as these operations carried out by such a dedicated group of individuals have a ripple effect, protecting countless vulnerable and innocent victims.”
The Missing & Exploited Children Task Force at WSP is asking anybody with more information on any of the suspects to email [email protected].
Child abuse and neglect
According to RCW 26-44-020, abuse and neglect are defined as any act that causes harm to a child’s health, welfare, or safety, including injury, sexual abuse, exploitation, or negligent care. The physical disciplining of a child as described by RCW 9A.16.100 is not considered abuse or neglect.
Identifying Child Abuse and Neglect: Indications and Manifestations
Understanding the warning indicators of child abuse and neglect is the first step towards providing support to abused or neglected children. Even though the existence of one indicator does not establish that child abuse is happening in a home, you should investigate the matter more thoroughly and take child abuse into consideration if many symptoms occur or if they do so frequently.
The following indicators might point to the existence of child maltreatment or neglect.
The Minor:
- Displays abrupt changes in behavior or academic achievement.
- Has not gotten assistance for health issues that have been brought to the parents’ notice.
- Has issues with learning (or focus) that aren’t related to any particular medical or psychological conditions.
- Is constantly on guard, as if ready for something negative to occur.
- Absence of adult oversight.
- Is excessively submissive, inactive, or reclusive.
- Arrives early for school or other events, stays late, and exhibits reluctance to leave.
The Guardian:
- demonstrates minimal care for the youngster.
- denies the reality of the child’s issues at home or in school or places the responsibility on the youngster for them.
- requests that parents, guardians, or instructors use severe physical punishment for misbehaving children.
- believes the child is useless, terrible, or a burden.
- demands an achievement level in academics or athletics that the youngster cannot meet.
- focuses mostly on providing care, attention, and emotional needs satisfaction for the kid.
The kid and parent:
- Hardly ever make eye contact or contact.
- Think of their connection as completely toxic.
- Declare their dislike for one another.
How do I report child abuse?
Reports of suspected child abuse and neglect must be submitted to and investigated by the local Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). The Children’s Administration/Child Protective Services (CPS) department, housed in each community office, receives reports and evaluates them to ascertain the risk level and if the scenario qualifies as abuse or neglect under the law.
The Children’s Administration provides many avenues for reporting mistreatment:
Daytime: To report abuse or neglect in your community, find the local office number.
Nights and Weekends: To report abuse on the weekends or in the evenings, contact 1-800-562-5624.
Hotline: To report suspected child abuse or neglect, contact 1-866-ENDHARM (1-866-363-4276), Washington State’s toll-free, round-the-clock hotline that will link you immediately to the relevant local office.
TTY Callers: To make a direct TTY call, dial 1-800-624-6186.
Questions that will be asked when you call
- The name, address, and age of the child
- The name and address of the child’s parent, guardian, or other person having custody of the child.
- The nature and extent of the abuse or neglect
- Any evidence of previous incidents.
- Any other information that may be helpful in establishing the cause of the child’s abuse or neglect and the identity of the perpetrator
You do not need to have all of the above information when you call to make a report, but the more accurate information you can provide, the better equipped the offices will be to assess the child’s safety.
