CPD investigating complaints regarding juvenile

<span>Parents of students in the Chester school district have brought complaints to the Chester Police Department regarding alleged lewd or inappropriate conduct by an unnamed juvenile male student.</span>

<span>According to copies of Facebook messages parents provided to the Herald Tribune, the juvenile - whom parents have said is a student at Chester High School - asked to see pictures of other students' chests and bellies before the conversation took a darker turn.</span>

<span>One conversation between the juvenile and a seventh-grade student, which took place over the course of several days between Nov. 23 and Dec. 1, started out with the request of a picture of a student's abdominal area.</span>

<span>That progressed to an inquiry as to the nature of the student's belly button ("innie or an outie") and finally, a question about whether the student was circumcised.</span>

<span>Chester Police Chief Ryan Coffey said he was aware of the complaints.</span>

<span>"We're looking into a matter - complaints that were made - but I can't comment on it," Coffey said. "Far too early in the investigation to be making any comments."</span>

<span>When asked what the procedure would be for cases of this type, Coffey said it wouldn't be different from any other investigation.</span>

<span>"Just like with any other investigation...interviews, taking statements, acquiring evidence that may be available to us and eventually, interviewing a suspect," he said.</span>

<span>Chester District 139 Superintendent Chris Diddlebock said no parents have contacted him regarding the situation.</span>

<span>"I've heard nothing officially that anything is going on," he said. "We get stuff kicked to us if it goes through (our servers)."</span>

<span>Diddlebock said access to Facebook is blocked through the school's internet security protocols.</span>

<span>"Our firewall is pretty touchy about what it pulls," he said. "There are some programs you can't even get to."</span>

<span>Eric Wright, who is one of the parents affected, declined to name the juvenile.</span>

<span>"I've got tons of people who are asking me who and what and where and I don't want to put the name out there to mess up the cops," said Wright.</span>

<span>Wright said "six or seven" students have been affected thus far, while other parents claim the total is as many as nine. All are male.</span>

<span>According to the parents involved, other students allegedly received more graphic messages from the juvenile, including pornographic images of the juvenile's private parts.</span>

<span>Wright is the only one who has spoken out publicly thus far, as others are reportedly waiting for the results of the CPD's investigation.</span>

<span>"More and more parents are checking their (kids) Facebook messages and finding there are more kids involved," Wright said. "There have been nudity messages sent back and forth of really young kids."</span>

<span>The juvenile's Facebook account has since been deactivated.</span>

<span>Wright said the Facebook conversations between the juvenile and his oldest son started in October. The juvenile wanted to see a picture of his son's stomach.</span>

<span>"I remember him bringing it up," Wright said. "I was doing something and he mentioned that a kid wanted a picture of his stomach."</span>

<span>Other parents have since come to Wright asking about the juvenile.</span>

<span>"A parent called me and he said 'Do your boys have Facebook?' and I said 'Yeah,'" Wright said. "He asked me if they were friends with this kid. My wife and I watch what our kids post to make sure there's nothing sexually explicit."</span>

<span>In addition to filing a complaint, Wright said he has approached Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker about the subject.</span>

<span>"I spoke to Mr. Walker the other day and I told him 'Look, we're trying to get the other parents to step up and no offense, I know you get 10 to 20 cases pushed across your desk every day, this isn't just horseplay, this is serious and it's got to stop,'" he said.</span>

<span>Walker told the Herald Tribune he was aware of the CPD's investigation.</span>

<span>"It's still under investigation and that's all I can say because it is a juvenile," he said. "I am aware of the situation and aware that the Chester Police Department is investigating it."</span>

<span>When asked how the situation made him feel as a parent, Wright said "worried."</span>

<span>"I don't want to be judgemental, but this is Chester and we don't see this stuff that much here," he said. "I'm always very proud of Chester. It's just hard to believe this is happening in this community."</span>

<span>Wright also had a message for other parents.</span>

<span>"One way or another, it has to be put out there for parents to check their kids' messages," he said. "The scary part of this is what about SnapChat, Instagram and everything else, you know?"</span>