On January 13, 2024, a Port Hope mother reported to police that her 10-year-old daughter had been exchanging inappropriate messages and images with an adult male met online through the gaming site Fortnite.
The alarming discovery came after the mother received a $6,000 phone bill for her daughter’s phone. Upon confronting her daughter, it was revealed that the male had coerced the child into providing her phone number, leading to texts and calls where he manipulated her into a disturbing relationship.
Port Hope Police, with support from Homeland Security and the Ontario Provincial Police, identified the suspect as a 51-year-old man from Richmond, Kentucky. He was arrested and charged with child luring and additional parole violations.
The suspect remains in custody in the United States.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
