Police believe man threatened 10-year-old girl for nude photos

BROOKFIELD (WITI) -- Brookfield police are trying to track down a sexual predator who targeted a 10-year-old child. The suspect reportedly pressured and threatened the girl through social media.

It seems the suspect made contact with the girl as she was using an app on the family's iPad.

An outreach group in Waukesha says there is a real danger when it comes to young children and the internet -- and has tips for parents to help them keep children safe.

Angela Mancuso is the executive director of the Women's Center in Waukesha -- and provides counseling for children and adults going through various trauma.

"Unfortunately, predators are savvy. They know how to find people. A lot of is through the internet," Mancuso said.

According to a search warrant obtained by FOX6 News, a Brookfield mother received a text message from a phone number containing two photographs -- one of her daughter's face, and another showing the girl naked from the upper chest down.

The search warrant claims the 10-year-old took the picture and sent it using the "Kik Messenger" app on the family's iPad.

It all started back in January of 2014. The search warrant says the girl received a text message from someone who pressured her to send a nude picture of herself. The girl reportedly sent two photos.

A month later, the girl said she received another message from someone with a different screen name. That message contained the two original photos and demanded she send another. The message said if she didn't, her family would be ruined -- according to the search warrant.

"Our concern is that there can be traumatic effects when youth are manipulated coerced and forced to do things against their will," Mancuso said.

Mancuso wants to remind parents to take precautions with technology and their children.

"Everyone needs to know potentially what children can be exposed to. There is software, there are apps that you can put in place that can block specific sites. The big thing about the internet is having safety measures in place that -- the search engines, passwords, checking the browser, setting the ground rules," Mancuso said.

The 10-year-old girl in this case has reportedly deleted the "Kik Messenger" app.

A warrant has been issued to obtain records from a communications company looking for information which may constitute the crime of possession of child pornography -- and lead to the identity of the account used.

For additional information on protecting your children online, visit OnGuardOnline.gov.