Overview
- The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office opened the probe after a 7-year-old girl reported that an adult had begun messaging her on TikTok and by text on July 20, 2026.
- Investigators say Elmer Lao, 36, knowingly messaged the child, sent nude videos of himself, and asked the girl to send nude photos in return.
- During a search of Lao’s residence on July 22, 2026, K9 Rookie, a dog trained to detect electronic devices, located a cell phone in Lao’s bedroom that prosecutors say was used to message the victim.
- Lao was arrested on July 22 and has been charged with second-degree attempted manufacturing of child sexual abuse material and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child; he is being held at the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing and officials have not released hearing details or said whether more charges will follow.
- Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay urged parents to regularly monitor children’s messages on platforms like TikTok and noted that special victims and high-tech crimes units use digital forensics and trained detection dogs to recover electronic evidence in these cases.