COVINGTON, La. (WVUE) – Covington Police say child predator arrests are on the rise in the first 3½ months of 2026. A special victims unit is yielding big results, but parents are urged to do more.
In St Tammany Parish, crimes against juveniles have prompted an expansion of the Child Advocacy Center.
The CAC’s Hope House says it’s handling nearly 600 child abuse victims a year, nearly double what it had eight eight years ago.
With the help of a multi-parish special victims task force, Covington Police have booked 12 people for alleged indecent behavior with juveniles, 11 people with computer-aided solicitation of juveniles and six people with attempted production of child pornography since the start of the year.
“In some of the worst cases, they may have a child in their home that they’re (victimizing in) creating this material,” said Covington Police deputy chief Kevin Collins.
He said 72 child predator suspects have been arrested, but most come from elsewhere.
The results can be devastating. Many child abuse victims exhibit severe signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, along with job and relationship problems into adulthood.
“It’s life-changing,” Collins said. “This is something that a kid shouldn’t have to go through.”
Child advocates urge parents to be hypervigilant in monitoring their children’s online activities, and any behavioral changes that could indicate an abusive situation.
Covington Police say the special victims unit is getting a high conviction rate, in part because the involvement of District Attorney Collins Sims, and a new digital forensic lab which they said helps secure strong evidence against child predators.
If you suspect abuse, you can report it on LA-SAFE.ORG.
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