Denver parents are concerned over an increasing trend that is making suggestive text messages easy to hide because of different smart phone applications. Children are using different text applications that keep their messages hidden from main text message feeds so that parents have a harder time monitoring their cell phone activity. Sexual crimes involving the internet include Internet Luring of a Child (CRS 18-3-306), Enticement of a Child (CRS 18-3-305), and Sexual Exploitation of a Child (CRS 18-6-403). Parents are worries their child may be exposed to these crimes because of these private text messaging apps for smart phones. Kids, thinking that they have hidden messages from their parents, may be tempted into committing these sexual crimes because they don't believe they will be caught.

Parents give cell phone to their young teens for safety reasons in Denver, Arapahoe, Larimer, or Weld County, but most juveniles or minors do not realize the potential hazards of having complete access to a smart phone and the advanced technology it contains. Because of certain applications, or “apps” that have become available, parents are no longer as “in the know” about their child's cell phone usage as they had been before the smart phone era.

Free texting service applications that are available for smart phones keep certain messages hidden from the main text message feed. Authorities in Jefferson, Adams, and Douglas County caution parents who monitor their child's cell phone use to be aware of all apps on their child's cell phone. Too often, parents scrolling through their children's phone for alarming texts do not know of the app installations made by the child that keep some messages hidden. Other message services let people speak into them, and this could also cause a problem because suggestive or inappropriate material could be sent via a voicemail type message of which the parent is unaware.

If your child is approached by police on suspicion of Sexual Exploitation of a Child, be smart, exercise your child's right to remain silent, and contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the O'Malley Law Office at 303-830-0880. Together, we can protect your child's future.