What to Know
- At least five Virginia students are at the center of a sexting investigation for spreading naked images, according to court documents.
- Charges have not been issued in the case.
At least five Virginia students are at the center of a sexting investigation for spreading naked images, according to court documents.
An assistant principal at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School informed a school resource officer that naked pictures were being circulated throughout the school, court documents say. Officials are investigating three Henderson students and two at George Mason High School.
Charges have not been issued in the case.
The assistant principal discussed a recent videotaped fight between two Henderson students with the officer last month, noting one of the students involved had recently broken up with his girlfriend, court records indicate. The pair told police they exchanged naked photos.
After the relationship ended, the girl sent the boy’s naked photo to another Henderson student on Snapchat, according to court documents. The recipient then posted the boy’s photo on Snapchat for about 10 minutes and told police he believes two other students may have taken screenshots of the image. After deleting the picture from Snapchat, the recipient also sent the photo to another student, court documents said.
While searching one student’s phone, police found a picture of a girl's breasts exposed, court records say. The student said the girl was a ninth grader at George Mason and that the photo was a screenshot from a live Instagram video the girl filmed.
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The girl told police she made a video in which her breasts were exposed, according to court documents. When police searched her phone, they found a video of a male masturbating.
Police confiscated five phones, according to court records.
In Virginia, possession and distribution of child porn can be a felony, Falls Church School District Spokesman John Brett told News4. An effort to make sexting among minors a misdemeanor didn’t pass in the General Assembly this year.
“Kids always do stupid things with technology,” parent Jenny Mcilwain said. “It’s just another way to do stupid things.”
