Australian Federal Police seek public’s help to solve cold cases linked to child sexual abuse

Help is needed to trace objects seen in photos, including a pillow and framed sports jerseys, linked to child sexual abuse cold cases in Australia.

Australian Federal Police hope the public can help trace objects seen in images linked to child sexual abuse cold cases in Australia. Image: AFP

Police are seeking the public’s help to solve cold cases linked to child sexual abuse in Australia.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) released a series of photos on Saturday, hoping the public can help authorities trace objects seen in abuse material and identify their origins.

The initiative is part of a global Stop Child Abuse – Trace an Object campaign that was started by Europol.

Images included dresses which have been seen in abuse material. Picture: AFP

Police hope this anklet rings a bell for someone. Picture: AFP

While the photos might look like mere slices of everyday life, authorities said they hold tiny clues that could identify and save victims of online child sexual exploitation.

Nine photos have been released which are known to have an Australian victim, location or offender.

Photos have been censored to remove graphic material, but authorities hope it might unearth useful information or insights from different knowledge sets, life experiences and locations from Australians across the nation.

The jerseys may jog the memory of a player or club member who might recognise the colours or design, a framer who did the job, or a fan who knows the significance of the numbers. Picture: AFP

A tiler may recognise how this kitchen is laid out. Picture: AFP

‘Tapping into everyday wisdom’

AFP victim identification team leader Lana Carey said one of the photos shows two framed football jerseys they hope will spark a memory of anyone who might have come across them.

The detective sergeant said possibilities could include a player or club member who might recognise the jersey colours or design, a framer who might remember doing the job, or a fan who might know the significance of the number 8 and 11 jerseys being grouped together.

“It’s about tapping into the wisdom of everyday Australians. And we know they’re eager to play a role given the previous three image releases have generated 1372 reports and counting,” she said.

This image dates back to a Queensland bedroom in 2009 and includes a cane chair alongside the single bedframes and floral-patterned quilt covers. Picture: AFP

This sliver of a bedroom is the oldest image in this release of images, the radio bedhead is believed to date back to between September 2000 and October 2002. Picture: AFP

Ms Carey noted every photo in this collection represented a ‘cold case’ where all available lines of inquiry had been exhausted. But that didn’t mean they were seen as dead ends.

“Our identification specialists never give up on a victim,” she said.

“We follow every lead and avenue we have when files first come into the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) and if we don’t succeed, we will continue to visit them periodically year after year after year after year to see if new intelligence or technology might open up fresh lines of inquiry.

This image is from about 2017, shows several distinct architectural features that may lend themselves to recognition. Picture: AFP

Police know this distinctive owl pillow is sold overseas, but seeks information about where it is, or has been, sold in Australia, given it’s not handmade. Picture: AFP

“It’s about the never-ending hunt for closure, the commitment to saving and supporting victims and survivors and, hopefully, that bittersweet moment when you realise you’ve solved it.”

AFP Commander Human Exploitation Helen Schneider said images of online child sexual exploitation came into the ACCCE from a variety of sources, including Victim ID taskforces and the US-based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Ms Schnieder said regardless of their provenance, they shared one common factor – the determination of the people tasked with identifying them, frame by frame.

This bedroom setting is believed to be from about 2015. Police are not focusing on the playmat, which has already been identified. Instead, the ACCCE is looking for people who might have seen the mat in a similar environment. Picture: AFP

“Our victim identification team members receive fresh images of online child sexual exploitation every single day,” she said.

“And every new file carries just as much horror and trauma for the victim as the one before it.

“Every one of them represents a life up-ended, so when team members take on a case they never give up: it’s our version of looking for a needle in a haystack.”

Originally published as Australian Federal Police seek public’s help to solve cold cases linked to child sexual abuse