A Virginia middle school teacher was arrested last week and charged with two counts of possession of child pornography, according to police.
Kristine Knizner, 28, a general science teacher at Irving Middle School in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Springfield, allegedly had child sexual abuse content on her Snapchat account, Fairfax County police said, WJLA-TV reported.
BREAKING NEWS: A Fairfax County middle school teacher has been arrested and charged with two felonies, accused of possessing child pornography on her Snapchat account 📱https://t.co/0EmWm6X9Sk
— 7News DC (@7NewsDC) May 19, 2022
An investigation was initiated on Tuesday after detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau’s Cyber/Child Exploitation Squad received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to a statement put out by the Fairfax County Police Department News.
The tip indicated that someone with a Snapchat account associated with a Fairfax County IP address was in possession of child sexual abuse material.
The investigation determined the IP address was connected to Knizner’s Springfield home.
Detectives carried out a search warrant, finding that Knizner was the only occupant of the home.
Knizner was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of possession of child pornography.
She was taken to the Adult Detention Center and later released on a $2,000 unsecured bond.
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Officials said it did not appear that any of the children in the Snapchat images were Knizner’s students.
“While investigators have not identified any offenses related to FCPS students, FCPS is cooperating with police as they investigate this serious matter,” a letter from the school to parents, obtained by InsideNova, stated.
Prior to working at Irving Middle School, Knizner was a teacher at Key Middle School.
“I greatly appreciate the work of our Major Crimes, Cyber and Forensics detectives and analysts,” Major Ed O’Carroll said in the statement from Fairfax County Police Department News. “These crimes have no place in our society and certainly not here in Fairfax County.”
O’Carroll noted it’s not uncommon for the department to get tips from the NCMEC.
“Since February, detectives have received 124 CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, like the one that led to this arrest. There is nothing more important than the safety of our children,” O’Carroll continued.
Police urged anyone with information about the case to call the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 6.
Anonymous tips may be submitted via Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477) and by text by typing “FCCS” plus tip to 847411.
Concerned citizens can also access the Fairfax County Crime Solvers website here.
