Bay Area nanny, 28, is arrested ‘after creating child porn images of a young person she was supposed to care for and then uploading them to social media’
- Michelle Nicole Hidalgo, 28, was arrested Friday in Antioch, California
- Police say they have found ‘material’ she used to create and share abuse images
- She is being held in jail on $700,000 bail and appeared in court on Wednesday
A Bay Area babysitter has been accused of posting phonographic images of the child she was supposed to be watching on social media.
Michelle Nicole Hidalgo, 28, was arrested Friday in Antioch, California and charged with seven felony counts of child pornography after officials served a warrant at her home.
The Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force searched the home after receiving a tip from an unnamed social media company about the child abuse material Hidalgo had allegedly shared on their platform.
Police say they have seized “equipment used in the production and distribution” of the child abuse images.
At the time of her arrest last week, Hidalgo was still employed part-time by the victim’s family.
Michelle Nicole Hidalgo, 28, was arrested Friday in Antioch, California, and charged with seven felony counts of child pornography
Prosecutor Diana Becton said authorities have not ruled out the possibility that there are more victims
At her first court appearance on Wednesday, Hidalgo pleaded not guilty to charges including production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, use of a minor in unlawful sexual acts and committing lewd and lascivious acts against a child.
Hidalgo remains in custody at the Contra Costa County Jail, Martinez, on $700,000 bail.
KRON4 reported that the prosecution will argue to keep the nanny behind bars if the defense requests a bail reduction at her next court appearance.
‘Why? Because she is a danger,” said Deputy District Attorney Paul Graves.
Officials have not released additional details, including the age of the victim, described only as a “small child.”
According to Hidalgo’s Facebook profile, she is originally from Pacifica, California, and graduated from Terra Nova High School.
Prosecutor Diana Becton said authorities have not ruled out the possibility that there are more victims.
Anyone with information about the case has been asked to contact Chief Inspector Darryl Holcombe at dholcombe@contracostada.org.
Earlier this week, a Bay Area daycare worker was sentenced to 25 years in prison for possessing and distributing child pornography.
Jace Wong, 26, was arrested in San Francisco in 2021 after an undercover officer linked him to a pornographic video of a girl between four and six years old.
Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, a daycare worker has been accused of sending photos of naked children to a trans former politician.
Lindsay Groves, 38, is accused of taking nude photos of children ages three to five at the Creative Minds Early Learning Center in Tyngsboro, about 35 miles northwest of Boston.
Prosecutors say the New Hampshire resident took the photos in a private bathroom during pre-nap breaks, texting them to someone “with whom she previously had an intimate relationship” and sharing 2,500 text messages.
The investigation into Groves also led to the arrest of Stacie Laughton, 39, who is believed to be the first transgender person elected to a state legislature in the country. She is accused of distributing child pornography.