Police have reportedly arrested a third grade teacher in Prince George County, Virginia, in relation to child pornography.
The suspect is identified as Miranda Stewart Janeway who teaches at David A. Harrison Elementary, 12 On Your Side reported Wednesday.
The outlet said she was taken into custody on Tuesday and now faces charges including producing and possessing child pornography with the intent to sell it.
In a message to parents regarding the case, Prince George County Public School officials said they currently do not believe any students were involved or that anything took place on campus.
“We will fully cooperate with law enforcement officials as they conduct their ongoing investigation,” the message read.
The suspect is being held without bond in jail. In addition, school leadership placed her on administrative leave, barred her from contacting students, staff members, or coming to any of the school’s campuses.
Janeway is listed as a third grade teacher on the elementary school’s website which features an image of what appears to be the suspect with other educators.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) defines child pornography as “a form of child sexual exploitation” and explained how the production of it “creates a permanent record of a child’s sexual abuse.”
“When these images are placed on the Internet and disseminated online, the victimization of the children continues in perpetuity,” the agency explained. The DOJ also pointed to the fact that “The expansion of the Internet and advanced digital technology lies parallel to the explosion of the child pornography market.”
The agency continued:
Child pornography images are readily available through virtually every Internet technology, including social networking websites, file-sharing sites, photo-sharing sites, gaming devices, and even mobile apps. Child pornography offenders can also connect on Internet forums and networks to share their interests, desires, and experiences abusing children, in addition to selling, sharing, and trading images.
Even though the term child pornography is widely used, it is more accurate to call it child sexual abuse material (CSAM), per the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN).
“Just as kids can’t legally consent to sex, they can’t consent to having images of their abuse recorded and distributed. Every explicit photo or video of a kid is actually evidence that the child has been a victim of sexual abuse,” the organization said.
