Babysitter, 25, cries as she ‘blames boy, 2, for touching her genitals’ in video
WARNING DISTRESSING CONTENT: Victoria Anne Cranmer, 25, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, manufacturing child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material
A lawyer representing babysitter Victoria Anne Cranmer has argued that an alleged sexual assault captured on her phone was due to the child having “little appreciation for personal space or privacy”.
Cranmer, 25, is accused of filming a video of herself with the toddler she was looking after, in which the child can be seen touching her exposed genitals. However, Cranmer’s lawyer, Marissa Koerner, maintains the 14-second Snapchat video depicted an “innocent moment”, not a criminal act.
“Anyone who has spent time caring for young children understands that children often have little appreciation for personal space or privacy,” Koerner stated.
“Young children routinely follow parents or caregivers into bathrooms, touch things, ask questions, are curious and fail to recognise ordinary social boundaries.”
The Snapchat clip also allegedly showed Cranmer “laughing” during the incident.
The event had been “blown out of proportion”, Koerner claimed, adding: “Children often engage in funny, spontaneous or strange behaviour that adults record because the moment is memorable or humorous.”
At a New Jersey bail hearing, Cranmer wept as Ocean County Judge Kenneth Palmer ruled she would have to stay behind bars while the “bizarre” and “troubling” incident was further investigated.
The investigation commenced on May 20 after a mother referred to in official documents as Ms P reported finding a video on an iPhone that had previously belonged to Cranmer.
In a brief video clip that seems to show inappropriate contact between an adult woman and a child, Cranmer was identified by her unique tattoos, which include “boobs, a lightning bolt and a mushroom”, police have said.
Cranmer reportedly lived in Ms P’s home and frequently babysat her child, as well as the son of another local woman referred to in court documents as Ms H. Much of the official paperwork has been heavily redacted to safeguard the identities of the two children involved, but both potential victims are believed to be around two years old.
Upon finding the video, Ms P handed the device over to the police, who secured a search warrant and discovered several other Snapchat videos of Cranmer with the child, according to court records.
In one of the videos, a woman believed to be Cranmer is seen sitting on a toilet with her genitals exposed while a child touches her intimately. At least one of the videos had been posted to Snapchat, New Jersey 101.5 reports.
Ms H informed the police that she had noticed a change in her young son’s behaviour after he had been cared for by Cranmer, and he had developed a dislike for baths.
Following the allegations made by Ms H, Cranmer was arrested and taken into custody at Ocean County Jail in Toms River, NJ.
She has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, manufacturing child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material, authorities have confirmed.
