A middle school teacher from Northern Virginia was arrested last week on child pornography charges after authorities allegedly found disturbing images on her Snapchat account.
Kristine Knizner, 28, a science teacher at Irving Middle School in the Washington, DC, suburb of Springfield, had images on the account that showed children being abused, according to Fairfax County police. Officials said it did not appear that any of the children in the disturbing images were Knizner’s students.
“While investigators have not identified any offenses related to FCPS students, FCPS is cooperating with police as they investigate this serious matter,” a letter from the school to parents obtained by InsideNova.com stated.
Kristine Knizner, a teacher at Irving Middle School in Springfield, is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material on her Snapchat account.https://t.co/JI6ifun0E1
— WACH FOX (@wachfox) May 20, 2022
The investigation was triggered by a tip Fairfax police received May 17 from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that said someone with a Snapchat account associated with a Fairfax County IP address had the illegal images on it. Police traced the IP address to Knizner’s apartment in Springfield, where detectives carried out a search warrant, police said on the Fairfax County Police Department website.
Photos and video of child pornography were allegedly discovered on several of the Knizner’s devices. She was charged with two felony counts of possession of child pornography.
Knizner was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of child pornography and was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. She was later released on a $2,000 bond.
Police said Knizner had previously taught at nearby Key Middle School in Franconia.
Fairfax County Police Maj. Ed O’Carroll praised the quick work of his department in responding to the tip.
“I greatly appreciate the work of our Major Crimes, Cyber and Forensics detectives and analysts,” said O’Carroll. These crimes have no place in our society and certainly not here in Fairfax County.”
O’Carroll said it is not uncommon for the department to get tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“Since February, detectives have received 124 CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, like the one that led to this arrest,” O’Carroll said. “There is nothing more important than the safety of our children.”
Police called for anyone with information about the case to call the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 6. Anonymous tips may be submitted vial Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), by text – Type “FCCS” plus tip to 847411, and onlineonline.