Vero Beach mom and her Michigan boyfriend arrested in shocking child sex abuse investigation
A Vero Beach mother and her boyfriend in Michigan are facing serious criminal charges after investigators say they uncovered disturbing videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children.
The investigation began when Michigan State Police contacted the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday regarding an ongoing Internet Crimes Against Children investigation. Detectives discovered images and videos on a Kik account that allegedly showed a woman sexually abusing two young children.
Investigators identified the woman as Lisette Zamarripa, 28, of Vero Beach, and quickly responded to her home.
There, detectives located two children—a 1-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy, both identified as Zamarripa’s biological children. The children were safely removed from the home and placed in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families.
According to investigators, Zamarripa admitted sexually abusing the children and recording the abuse during a video call at the direction of her boyfriend, Kenneth Conkle, who was watching from Michigan.
Zamarripa was located and arrested approximately 2½ hours after investigators received the initial tip. She faces two counts of sexual battery as well as a charge involving the transmission of child sexual abuse material.
The investigation then expanded to Michigan.
Investigators with the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at Conkle’s residence. Authorities say Conkle admitted directing and recording the abuse and also confessed to separately sexually abusing his own 1-year-old daughter.
Conkle faces multiple charges in Michigan, including child sexual battery, four counts of production of aggravated child sexual abuse material and five counts of using a computer to commit a crime.
Additional Florida charges against Conkle remain pending. Authorities also emphasized that the investigation remains a cooperative effort between Florida and Michigan law enforcement agencies.
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office credited the rapid response by its Internet Crimes Against Children detectives with helping remove the two young victims from what investigators described as a dangerous situation.
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(Source and mugshot photos of Lisette Zamarripa: Indian River County Sheriff’s Office)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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