Montreal police seek potential victims of child porn suspects
A couple who abruptly left Montreal and moved to Trois-Rivières after being confronted by neighbours who suspected they were sexually abusing young boys are now behind bars.
Caroline Curadeau, 39, and Maxim Grondin, 40, are charged with sexually abusing two boys under the age of 10 between June 2017 and August 2018, and recording their crimes on video.
They are also charged with possessing, publishing and making child pornography accessible.
The pair appeared at the Montreal courthouse on Sept. 14. On Thursday, Montreal police said they believe there may be other victims and asked anyone with information to come forward.
Police have seized several videos depicting child sex abuse and are trying to access encrypted computer files they suspect show similar crimes, according to evidence presented during Curadeau’s bail hearing,
It’s alleged Grondin abused the two boys after he was charged and sentenced in St-Jérôme for possessing child pornography.
Grondin was sentenced to a 90day prison term on Dec. 8, but was allowed to serve his time at a detention centre on weekends.
When he was interviewed for a pre-sentencing report, Grondin admitted he was attracted to boys between ages seven and nine.
The alleged abuse came to light after one of the boys came home in tears after spending time at the couple’s apartment in Mercier — Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, prosecutor Marie-Josée Richard told Curadeau’s bail hearing on Sept. 25.
Richard said the boy would normally return from the apartment in a good mood because he was given candy or other gifts.
When the boy’s father asked what was wrong, the boy said Grondin had touched him and the second boy in a sexual manner and had masturbated in front of him while watching child porn videos on a computer.
The boy later told police he was instructed to touch Curadeau in a sexual manner.
Richard said another person who knew the couple was told Curadeau and Grondin were pedophiles and was advised to keep her children away from them.
The woman’s son had spent time at the apartment and was concerned about what she was told.
Richard said when the woman asked her son if anything had happened, the boy described having seen child porn videos and said he was abused. The boy gave a statement to police in early September saying he was shown a video in which the other boy and nine other children were nude.
Grondin and Curadeau have been a couple for a decade and remained together even though Curadeau was aware of Grondin’s attraction to boys, Richard said.
The prosecutor said the couple fled their apartment in August after neighbours began to confront them about the alleged abuse. They were arrested in Trois-Rivières last month.
Quebec Court Judge Salvatore Mascia rejected Curadeau’s request to be released while she remains charged. Grondin also remains detained pending his bail hearing. Their case returns to court this month.
Anyone who believes they were a victim or knows someone who may have been is urged to call 911 or go to their local police station to file a complaint or statement.