Carroll County infant removed from home after child exploitation tip

Carroll County investigators removed a six-month-old infant from a home and arrested a 20-year-old woman on child exploitation charges after receiving a tip through a messaging app, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office said.

What happened: On March 30, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division received a cybertip originating from Kik Messenger, a mobile messaging application. The tip had been reviewed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a nonprofit clearinghouse that receives and processes reports of suspected child exploitation from technology companies and forwards them to law enforcement.

The tip was classified as high priority. Within hours, investigators identified the infant as the victim, confirmed the child’s location, and obtained a search warrant for the residence.

The arrest: During the search, investigators made contact with Rachel Bloom. According to the sheriff’s office, Bloom admitted to involvement in the exploitation of the child and the distribution of illicit material. She was charged with sexual exploitation of children, child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, and cruelty to children.

Second arrest: While executing the warrant, members of the Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Unit found marijuana in plain view and within reach of the child inside the residence. Casey Bloom, identified as the child’s grandmother, was arrested in connection with the drugs.

The child: The infant was removed from the home. The sheriff’s office said the removal prevented further harm.

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