Disturbing details have emerged regarding a Houston Police Department Captain, following his initial arrest for possession of child pornography. Daryn Edwards, 59, now faces additional charges including aggravated sexual assault and sexual performance by a child, as per FOX 26 Houston. A 32-year veteran of the force, Edwards has been relieved of duty, pending an internal investigation, confirmed by Houston police.
The investigation into Edwards' alleged crimes has brought to light the repeated sexual assault of a young girl that purportedly began when she was as young as nine years old. Court documents describe a series of events where the victim was assaulted nearly 100 times, starting from molestation and escalating to rape, KHOU reports. These incidents are said to have occurred in League City, with some of the assaults taking place while on a cruise and continuing on a regular basis.
Additional evidence gathered by the League City Police Department points to Edwards using social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram to send sexually explicit messages to the victim, identified as Jane Doe. He also allegedly coerced her into sending nude photos of herself, threatening to destroy her life with them. The investigation found that the girl discovered hidden cameras in her bedroom, which Edwards had admitted to installing.
Detectives executing a search warrant on Edwards' personal and work cell phones came across videos that appeared to have been taken from a hidden camera setup in Jane Doe's bedroom. Court records obtained by FOX 26 Houston reveal that Edwards gave Jane Doe instructions on setting up a hidden camera and instructed her to invite her boyfriend over for sex in view of the camera, at a time when she was 15.
The case against Edwards continues to unfold, raising concerns about public trust in law enforcement and the potential for abuse of power. Edwards remains in custody at the Galveston County Jail, with no bond set, as the legal process progresses.
