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On Thursday, June 21st, Idaho Falls police arrested 23-year-old Eric Kidman on the charge of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 16 by making a photographic or electronic recording.
Kidman confessed to placing a video camera in a 13-year-old girl’s bedroom. The girl found a camera in her room in a potted plant when she went to water the plant. The young girl took the camera to Kidman, who was in the house at the time. Kidman allegedly told the young girl that the camera was probably nothing, and to just throw it away. He then took out an SD card from the slot in the camera. The girl later took the camera to her father, who notified police.
Kidman told police that he placed the memory card on the nightstand next to the bed, but when he went to retrieve it, it was no longer there. He claimed that it must have fallen in the floor, and that he searched the room for it, but was unable to locate it.
Police obtained a search warrant and were able to recover some of the evidence. In that search they also found other concerning evidence which involves child pornography. Idaho Falls detectives are working with the Department of Homeland Security to retrieve further electronic evidence.
Kidman claims this is the first time he has done something like this. However, detectives are concerned that other children may have been victimized.
Police are asking the public to contact Idaho Falls Public Safety Dispatch at (208) 529-1200 if they have concern that Kidman may have had contact with other children and could have taken other recordings or photographs.
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Idaho Falls Police Department Contact:
Holly Cook
Public Information Officer
Office: (208) 612-8655
hcook@idahofallsidaho.gov