Nanny In Child Porn Case May Have Contacted Other Parents: Police

BOSTON — A Roxbury nanny indicted on child pornography charges earlier this year may have been in contact with other families and once urged another caregiver to harm young children, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said Tuesday.

Boston police are contacting families who may have been in touch with Stephanie Lak, 36, of Roxbury, on popular child care Websites like care.com and sittercity.com. Lak was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography and distribution of material of child in a sex act in April.

"There is no bigger betrayal than people tasked with teaching, protecting, or caring for children sexually exploiting and violating them," Rollins said in a statement. "Do not be fooled. Each still image or video chronicles an act of violence, sexual assault, and/or rape. And when those images or videos are shared with other pedophiles online, that child is abused and victimized in perpetuity."

Lak's arrest came after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children contacted the Boston Police Department’s Crimes Against Children unit and reported that eight separate images of child sexual abuse were being trafficked over an IP address in Roxbury — Lak's IP address.

Police seized three smartphones and a laptop when they executed a search warrant at Lak's home on April 28. Prosecutors say Lak admitted to using the username at the center of the investigation and sharing about 100 files containing material showing child sexual abuse with children as young as 3 and 5. She also discussed the abuse with other people online.

"The alleged perpetrator, in this case, is a woman," Rollins said. "We as a society need to unlearn many of our ingrained assumptions regarding who commits, and who can be a victim of, sexual assault and rape."

Investigators found an online exchange with a caregiver from Minnesota where Lak encouraged the man to harm children in his care and even offered to help.

Police are trying to find other families who may have talked to Lak or hired her to work as a nanny. Lak pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on $5,000 bail with conditions she not have contact with children. Prosecutors had asked a judge to set bail at $50,000.

Rollins reminded parents to make sure children know they can speak with them regarding topics that may make them uncomfortable. You can learn more about the signs of child abuse here.

Anyone who believes that a child in Massachusetts may be the victim of abuse can call the Department of Children and Families’ Child at Risk Hotline at 1-800-792-5200.