Breakthrough made in child-porn inquiry

Photographs traced to a hotel room at Disney World

The Kansas City Star

ORLANDO, Fla. - Internet child-porn photos showing a girl being victimized were taken at a Walt Disney World hotel, authorities said Tuesday after appealing for tips to determine the location.

Last week Canadian investigators took the unusual step of publicly releasing six photos - with the girl's image removed - in hopes of identifying what they thought was a warm-climate hotel setting.

Tips suggested that the room was a Disney World property, and that ultimately was confirmed.

"Disney has been very cooperative," said Jamie Zuieback, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.

"Now we're trying to narrow down the time frame and narrow down various aspects of the case."

Zuieback declined to identify the hotel or add other details. Disney World officials did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The photos show a blond girl, about 9 years old, being abused at various locations, including a hotel room, an arcade, a hot tub and an elevator. Police think the photos were taken about three years ago. Other pornographic photos of the same girl in a different location appear to be more recent, Zuieback said.

The Toronto Police Service Child Exploitation Section investigators found the pictures while monitoring a public newsgroup on the Internet.

Toronto police Sgt. Paul Gillespie said investigators think the girl's abuser was a close family member. Clues from other photos suggest that the child may live in the northeastern United States or southeastern Canada.

Investigators were trying to identify the maker of the pornography and hope to "try to rescue the girl," Zuieback said.