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Infant rescued by police as woman, 18, charged with sexual abuse


A young child has been “rescued” as a Melbourne woman was arrested and charged with sexual abuse.

The 18-year-old woman was arrested at Lalor, north of Melbourne, on Wednesday with the infant found safe at another location.

Victoria’s Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team, comprising officers from state and federal police, swooped on the woman after being made aware of an arrest in the United Kingdom.

She was subsequently charged with multiple offences including the sexual penetration of a minor and sexual touching of a child under 16.

A young child has been “rescued” as a Melbourne woman was arrested and charged with sexual abuse. Source: AAP, file
A young child has been “rescued” as a Melbourne woman was arrested and charged with sexual abuse. Source: AAP, file

The woman was also charged with using a carriage service to transmit child pornography and using a carriage service to produce child pornography.

The alleged abuser and victim were identified and located after complex searches and inquiries, Australian Federal Police detective superintendent Jayne Crossling said.

“(These specialist) investigators regularly have to deal with the most abhorrent aspects of society,” Ms Crossling said.

“I can’t praise them more highly for what they do in matters such as this, where they significantly alter a child’s life by removing them from an extremely harmful and distressing situation.”

The woman is due to front a children’s court.