Students suspended following nude photo scandal at Caon City High School
Caon City Police released new details regarding a sexting scandal at Caon City High School.
During the news conference Friday, Superintendent George Welsh and law enforcement announced several students have been suspended and three phones have been confiscated.
“We do have a telephone with several hundred images on it,” said police chief Paul Schultz.
Hundreds of Caon City High School students are under investigation for taking and sharing nude photos. The investigation will likely be lengthy, because the photos were taken both in and outside of school.
“Some of this activity has happened on campus, and what I mean by that is there is a picture or two that were somehow taken on campus,” said Welsh.
Police say students were taking photos on an app called Photo Vault. It was brought to the schools attention on Monday when two students came forward saying they were concerned.
“There’s information out there that this has been going on a long time, and yes, it has. Our community and every other community in the U.S. in the smartphone era is dealing with this,” said Welsh.
“It’s an app called Photo Vault. It can look like a calculator and media player,” said Schutlz.
The app allows users to secretly take and send photos, but the consequences of using it could be as severe as a felony.
“There are wide range of penalties. The juvenile penalties are much different than adult penalties,” said Thom LeDoux, district attorney.
LeDoux says every student will be handled on a case bv case basis and charges will vary. While the investigation is underway, authorities are asking parents to stay involved.
“Parents need to have a conversation with their children and remind them how this Photo Vault works, and ask them to step up to the plate, and check their child’s cellphone,” said schultz.
The school held an assembly Friday afternoon to calm student fears and address the situation.
There are two hotlines available for students, or parents, struggling with the fallout from the investigation.
You can call Solvista’s 24-hour hotline at 719-275-2351. The department of social services in Fremont County also has a counseling number: 719-285-2000.
