TOMS RIVER – A woman accused of sexually abusing a child who had been entrusted to her care now faces multiple felony charges after a friend made a discovery on a cellphone that prosecutors say exposed the alleged crimes.
Victoria Anne Cranmer, 25, of Little Egg Harbor, is being held in the Ocean County Jail without bail following her July 8 arrest. She is charged with second-degree sexual assault, second-degree manufacturing of child sexual abuse material, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material. The charges involve one child under the age of 13, according to documents released by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the affidavit of probable cause that Jersey Shore Online obtained, the investigation began May 20 after the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency referred the matter to the Little Egg Harbor Police Department and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit. Names and identifying information are also redacted in the records released by the prosecutor’s office.
Investigators first spoke with Ms. H., the mother of the alleged victim, who reported concerns involving her young son after learning about a video that allegedly showed the child touching Cranmer’s exposed genitals. Ms. H. told investigators Cranmer had previously babysat her son but that the arrangement ended after she learned of the recording and became concerned about the child’s behavior.
Reports indicate that Ms. H. said she learned about the recording from Ms. P., a longtime friend with whom Cranmer had been staying for approximately three months. In addition to watching Ms. H.’s son, Cranmer also babysat for Ms. P’s daughter.
Ms. P. told investigators that she had purchased Cranmer a cellphone as a birthday gift. Concerned about what she described as Cranmer’s mental health issues, Ms. P. asked the defendant to move out and told her to leave the phone behind. Once the phone was in her possession, Ms. P. searched its contents and discovered a 14-second video saved in Cranmer’s Snapchat memories. The affidavit states Ms. P. immediately saved the recording so it could not be deleted, logged out of Cranmer’s Snapchat account and later turned the cellphone over to investigators.
What began with a single 14-second recording eventually led detectives to obtain search warrants for the cellphone and Cranmer’s Snapchat account. According to the affidavit, investigators later uncovered additional videos preserved in Snapchat’s Memories feature.
Ms. P. told detectives she immediately recognized Cranmer in the video by her distinctive tattoos, voice and the bathroom where it was recorded.
Investigators initially examined the cellphone with Ms. P’s consent before obtaining search warrants for both the device and Cranmer’s Snapchat account. A forensic examination uncovered multiple Snapchat videos involving Cranmer and the child, including recordings saved on May 6, according to the affidavit.
Investigators allege one recording showed Cranmer sitting on a toilet with her genitals exposed while the child touched her. According to the affidavit, Cranmer laughed during the recording while making comments to the child. Detectives concluded the evidence supported the charges approved by the prosecutor’s office.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office approved the charges July 7 following the joint investigation. Cranmer is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
