Licensed social worker on Long Island shared graphic videos of infants being abused on messaging platforms, prosecutors say.
A child therapist in Long Island, Renee Hoberman, has been arrested for distributing sexual abuse imagery of children, including infants, on social media. The 36-year-old therapist, also known as Rina, was charged in court in Central Islip and is being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Federal prosecutors stated that over several months, Hoberman used messaging apps to share sexually abusive images of minors, including videos of infants being raped. She uploaded these images to various chats on the messaging app Kik, pretending to be a man with young children. Hoberman described subjecting the children to sexual assaults and shared videos depicting the abuse. She even invited others in the chat to visit and participate in the abuse.
It’s important to note that Hoberman has not been charged with producing child sexual abuse imagery, and there is no evidence that she was directly involved in the abuse itself. Her public defender, Evan Sugar, has not commented on the case, and her family members have declined to make any statements.
This disturbing case highlights the need for vigilance in protecting children from online exploitation and abuse. Parents and caregivers should be aware of the risks of social media and take steps to safeguard children from harmful content and interactions online.
Source: The NY Times
