Detectives have revealed they found a “life-like child doll designed for sexual use” at the home of a suspected pervert accused of recording families in his vacation rental.
Madera County cops said they found the toy with its hands tied at Christian Parmalee Edwards’ house in Oakhurst earlier this month.
They also reported finding newly bought children’s clothes and thousands of files of child sexual abuse material during the raid.
Kate Woertman of the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said: “This showcases the escalation in behaviors from viewing digital images to filming to physical behaviors.”
Officers allege Edwards not only possessed and distributed the material but also secretly recorded guests during private moments, leading to additional invasion of privacy charges.
Edwards was arrested following a search of his home in Oakhurst. He is also accused of secretly filming women and children who stayed in the lower levels of the home.
The investigation began after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children flagged suspected online distribution activity in Oakhurst.
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Cops seized around 30 digital devices from the sprawling property and they are being forensically analyzed.
Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue said: “Protecting the innocent, upholding the law, and holding offenders accountable remains a top priority.”
Cops seized around 30 digital devices from the sprawling property and they are being forensically analyzed.
The case is being handled in coordination with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in Central California, and officials say they are continuing to search for potential victims.
The case comes amid a broader surge in online exploitation. The Internet Watch Foundation reported a record 291,273 cases of child sexual abuse material in 2024 — nearly 800 reports per day, the highest total ever recorded.
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