Male childcare worker facing 137 child abuse charges as police begin identifying victims

A 36-year-old male childcare worker has been hit with 137 charges related to child abuse following an extensive investigation by specialized police units.

 The man, whose identity is being protected for legal reasons to safeguard his alleged victims, worked at several childcare centers over a period of several years, News.Az reports, citing Daily Mail.

Authorities arrested him after a breakthrough in a long-running probe into digital evidence and physical reports, leading to one of the most significant cases of its kind in recent years.

The charges against the man include the production and distribution of child abuse material, as well as multiple counts of indecent assault against children under his care. Investigators have described the scale of the alleged offending as deeply disturbing, noting that the suspect exploited his position of trust to gain access to vulnerable children. Law enforcement officials have now begun the "arduous task" of identifying the alleged victims depicted in seized digital files, a process that involves meticulously cross-referencing employment records with timestamped evidence.

Child protection advocates and local authorities have expressed shock at the revelations, prompting calls for an urgent review of vetting procedures within the childcare industry. Support services have been set up for families who may have been affected, as the police warn that the number of charges could increase as more evidence is processed. The suspect remains in custody and is expected to face court later this month, while specialized counselors work alongside families to navigate the trauma resulting from the investigation.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova