Victoria Cranmer charged after Snapchat child assault video found
Victoria Cranmer, 25, of Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, was arrested July 8 and charged after police say a witness found a 14-second Snapchat video on Cranmer's phone showing her allegedly sexually assaulting a child under 13. She remains in the Ocean County Jail without bail on sexual assault and child abuse material charges.
Key Takeaways
- Victoria Cranmer, 25, was arrested July 8 on charges including sexual assault and manufacturing child sexual abuse material.
- A former roommate found a 14-second Snapchat Memories video on a gifted iPhone, court documents allege.
- Police identified Cranmer in the footage through her voice and distinctive leg tattoos, authorities say.
- Detectives later uncovered additional Snapchat videos involving Cranmer and the child, per court filings.
- Cranmer is being held without bail at the Ocean County Jail pending further legal proceedings.
What did Victoria Cranmer allegedly do?
According to court documents cited by Fox News, Victoria Anne Cranmer is accused of sexually assaulting a child younger than 13 while the victim was in her care. Authorities allege Cranmer recorded a 14-second video of the incident on May 6 inside the bathroom of a Little Egg Harbor home.
Investigators say they found multiple additional videos saved in Snapchat's Memories feature showing Cranmer and the child together. In one recording, Cranmer allegedly sat on a toilet with her genitals exposed while the child touched her and she laughed and spoke to the child, according to an affidavit cited by WKRC and People.
How did police discover the Snapchat videos?
The investigation began after a woman identified in court records only as Ms. P. asked Cranmer to move out following a falling out in May, according to multiple reports. Ms. P. had given Cranmer an iPhone as a birthday gift in April and requested the phone be returned when Cranmer left the home.
While reviewing the device, Ms. P. allegedly discovered the disturbing video stored in Snapchat Memories. She reportedly saved the recording to prevent deletion, logged out of Cranmer's Snapchat account, and later turned the cellphone over to investigators. The New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency referred the case to police on May 20, Fox News reported.
How were investigators able to identify Cranmer?
Ms. P. told detectives she immediately recognized Cranmer in the footage by her voice, the bathroom where it was filmed, and her distinctive tattoos, court documents allege. Police stated that tattoos visible on Cranmer's leg included imagery depicting breasts, a lightning bolt, and a mushroom, according to People and WKRC.
Fox News reported that detectives obtained search warrants for both the cellphone and Cranmer's Snapchat account, where they said they uncovered more saved recordings. The distinctive markings proved critical in linking the alleged assault directly to Cranmer, authorities say.
What charges is Cranmer facing?
Cranmer was arrested and charged with second-degree sexual assault, second-degree manufacturing of child sexual abuse material, third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material, and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, according to online court records cited by Fox News and People.
At least one of the alleged recordings was shared on Snapchat, according to reporting cited by Fox News. The case has drawn comparisons to other disturbing bizarre crime headlines involving social media evidence, though prosecutors have not yet commented publicly beyond court filings. Cranmer is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Where is Cranmer being held?
Cranmer remains in the Ocean County Jail without bail, according to jail records cited by People and WKRC. Detectives with the Little Egg Harbor Police Department and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit led the investigation, with charges approved by prosecutors on July 7, per WKRC.