2 charged in sexting scandal at Chester Co. middle school

LONDON GROVE, Pa. (WPVI) -- Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a sexting scandal at a middle school.

According to officials, a female student took a naked picture and that photo ended up in the hands of several other students.

Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan says many sexting cases begin the same way this one did, involving children from Fred S. Angle Middle School in London Grove.

It started with a young teenage girl taking a naked photograph of herself and texting it to a boy in her class.

Hogan explains, "Then the next thing you know, something happens between the two of them, and the guy passes those pictures on to other guys."

By the time the authorities were notified, at least three boys ended up in possession of the photo, with all the children involved between the ages of 13 and 14.

Now, two of the juveniles involved are facing charges.

This comes on the tail end of a string of similar incidences at schools across Chester County over the past year.

Action News spoke with local parents who agree, it all boils down to a frightening mixture of adolescence and technology.

Tabitha Keuch of Avondale says, "They don't know the difference. They think it's fun, and they're at that age - it's a bad age."

And Don Pizzo of West Grove tells us, "It's their peers. They think if their friends can do it, they can do it. They don't realize the repercussions of them doing this - today, tomorrow. And then they feel like, 'oh, look what happened to me.'"

That's why Tom Hogan says every parent with teenage children should make it a point to stay on top of their child's electronic online activity.

Hogan says, "I hear parents saying 'well, that's an invasion of privacy. I wouldn't want to do that.' And my question to them usually is: Would you rather invade their privacy, have them feel a little uncomfortable but stay out of trouble, or would you like to find them in the middle of a sexting scandal?"

Hogan says the juveniles involved in this case face summary or misdemeanor charges. They will likely be sentenced to probation, at worst, or counseling sessions, at best.