Red Deer mom charged with using son to make child porn sent to U.S. man

A 43-year-old Alberta woman who worked at a licensed daycare is accused of sexually abusing her son and using the boy to make child pornography.

Authorities in Red Deer have removed the four-year-old boy from his mother, who was arrested Wednesday, and he is now in the care of other family members.

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"This is a heinous crime that was committed on a young child by the one person they should be able to trust the most," said Insp.Dave Dubnyk, who oversees the internet child exploitation unit of theAlberta Law Enforcement Response Teams.

The woman has been charged withsexual assault, sexual exploitation, making child pornography, distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography and accessing child pornography.

To protect the identity of the boy, police are not naming the woman.

Dubnyk saidthe investigation began when the Idaho internet crimes against children unit identified a child who was being sexually abused after photos of the abuse were sent using email.

U.S. police determined the child lived in the Red Deer area.

Male suspect arrested in Idaho

A male suspect has also been arrested in the case. Idaho police announced on May 19 they had arrested Peter Allen Cash, 39, after conducting a search of his home and seizing evidence from his computer.

The resident of Nampa intended to leave the United States that week and move to Canada, according to Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, promptingpoliceto hasten their investigation and arrest Cash.

He faces nine counts of sexual exploitation of a child in Idaho and has pending charges for possession of child pornography in Missouri, according to U.S. authorities.

He was 39 at the time of his arrest but turned 40 while in custody.

Child in care of family members

Dubnyk said the Alberta woman has been released from custody under "strict conditions to ensure she has no contact with her child."

"Our concern of course is for the health and well-being of this young child," Dubynk said, adding that the boy is receiving "all necessary support."

Parents with children at the daycare have been notified. Dubynk stressed there is no evidence any other children were abused,other than the woman's son.

The woman had no previous criminal record and was not previously known to police.

Her next court date is set for July 16 in Red Deer.

The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams aremade up of members ofAlberta Sheriffs, the Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service and theRCMP.

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