Investigators searched dozens of apartments across Hesse. The allegations against the 51 suspects range from possession of child pornography to sexual abuse. The youngest suspect is only 16 himself.
In the fight against sexual violence against children and adolescents, more than 200 investigators searched 49 apartments throughout Hesse this week. The State Criminal Police Office (LKA) in Wiesbaden announced on Friday that five suspects were questioned and more than 1,000 storage media were seized.
According to the information, the investigators focused on a total of 51 suspects aged between 16 and 76, including three women. According to the LKA, the allegations range from the production, possession and distribution of child and youth pornography to the sexual abuse of children. There were no arrests. According to previous knowledge, the accused were not in contact with one another. The investigations are still ongoing.
13-year-old contacted via Instagram
A 47-year-old man from Kassel is being investigated on suspicion of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old. The child’s mother filed a complaint because a stranger had contacted her daughter via Instagram’s Messenger. The stranger had told the girl about his sexual fantasies since April and told her that he wanted to live them out with her.
In the course of the investigation, the 47-year-old came into focus. A large number of contacts could have been assigned to his account, including many children and young people between the ages of 11 and 16. His apartment was searched on Wednesday. The further investigation should now clarify whether he has sent sexual messages to the 13-year-old and possibly other children via his account.
Warning of cybergrooming
With so-called cybergrooming, perpetrators would repeatedly gain access to children’s rooms. The dark field is high here. In the virtual world, children and young people should be careful not to disclose any data such as cell phone numbers or addresses. Since October last year, 130 investigators have been taking action against sexual violence against children.
End of further information