Deborah Dawn Brantley, 44, of Upson County has been arrested by a specialized unit of the GBI on child porn and other charges.
Brantley
Pedophiles are in our schools, churches, boy scouts and families...They are everywhere.
Please watch your children and take notice of anyone taking a special interest in your child.
Be proactive and stop the cycle!
We all need to discuss this problem more. Secrets are what keep the cycle going.
Let's all break some cycles!!!
Report sexual misconduct/abuse and let these offenders know not to target our kids.
Kids need to know someone will listen to them.
Warning Signs in Children and Adolescents of Possible Child Sexual Abuse
Any one sign doesn't mean that a child was sexually abused, but the presence of several suggests that you begin asking questions and consider seeking help. Keep in mind that some of these signs can emerge at other times of stress such as:
During a divorce
Death of a family member or pet
Problems at school or with friends
Other anxiety-inducing or traumatic events
Behavior you may see in a child or adolescent
Has nightmares or other sleep problems without an explanation
Seems distracted or distant at odd times
Has a sudden change in eating habits
Refuses to eat
Loses or drastically increases appetite
Has trouble swallowing.
Sudden mood swings: rage, fear, insecurity or withdrawal
Leaves “clues” that seem likely to provoke a discussion about sexual issues
Writes, draws, plays or dreams of sexual or frightening images
Develops new or unusual fear of certain people or places
Refuses to talk about a secret shared with an adult or older child
Talks about a new older friend
Suddenly has money, toys or other gifts without reason
Thinks of self or body as repulsive, dirty or bad
Exhibits adult-like sexual behaviors, language and knowledge
Signs more typical of younger children
An older child behaving like a younger child (such as bed-wetting or thumb sucking)
Has new words for private body parts
Resists removing clothes when appropriate times (bath, bed, toileting, diapering)
Asks other children to behave sexually or play sexual games
Mimics adult-like sexual behaviors with toys or stuffed animal
Wetting and soiling accidents unrelated to toilet training
Signs more typical in adolescents
Self-injury (cutting, burning)
Inadequate personal hygiene
Drug and alcohol abuse
Sexual promiscuity
Running away from home
Depression, anxiety
Suicide attempts
Fear of intimacy or closeness
Compulsive eating or dieting
Physical warning signs
Physical signs of sexual abuse are rare. If you see these signs, bring your child to a doctor. Your doctor can help you understand what may be happening and test for sexually transmitted diseases.
Pain, discoloration, bleeding or discharges in genitals, anus or mouth
Persistent or recurring pain during urination and bowel movements
Wetting and soiling accidents unrelated to toilet training.
Behaviors to Watch for When Adults Are With Children
We all have personal likes and things that make us uncomfortable. “Personal space” is the private area of control inside an imaginary line or boundary that defines each person as separate.
Ideally, that boundary helps us stay in charge of our own personal space. It helps keep out the things that make us uncomfortable - unsafe and unwanted feelings, words, images, and physical contact. Solid social rules strengthen the boundary. Behaviors that routinely disrespect or ignore boundariesi make children vulnerable to abuse.
Do you know an adult or older child who doesn’t seem to understand what’s acceptable when it comes to:
Personal Space
Makes others uncomfortable by ignoring social, emotional or physical boundariesi or limits?
Refuses to let a child set any of his or her own limits? Uses teasing or belittling language to keep a child from setting a limit?
Insists on hugging, touching, kissing, tickling, wrestling with or holding a child even when the child does not want this physical contact or attention?
Frequently walks in on children/teens in the bathroom?
Relationships with children
Turns to a child for emotional or physical comfort by sharing personal or private information or activities, normally shared with adults?
Has secret interactions with teens or children (e.g. games, sharing drugs, alcohol, or sexual material) or spends excessive time to emailing, text messaging or calling children or youth
Insists on or manages to spend uninterrupted time alone with a child?
Seems “too good to be true," i.e. frequently baby sits different children for free; takes children on special outings alone; buys children gifts or gives them money for no apparent reason?
Allows children or teens to consistently get away with inappropriate behaviors?
Sexual conversation or behavior
Frequently points out sexual images or tells dirty or suggestive jokes with children present?
Exposes a child to adult sexual interactions or images without apparent concern?
Is overly interested in the sexuality of a particular child or teen (e.g., talks repeatedly about the child's developing body or interferes with normal teen dating)?
Age-Appropriate Sexual Behavior
It can be hard to acknowledge that all of us, even children, are sexual beings, have sexual feelings and are curious about sex and sexuality. Children’s curiosity can lead to exploring their own and each other’s body parts by looking and touching.
They may peek when family members are in the bathroom or changing clothes or try to listen outside the bedroom. They may look at magazines, books, videos, and on the internet.
It can be hard to tell the difference between “normal” sexual behaviors and behaviors that are signs that a child may be developing a problem. Sexual play that is more typical or expected in children will more often have the following traits:
The sexual play is between children who have an ongoing mutually enjoyable play and/or school friendship.
The sexual play is between children of similar size, age, and social and emotional development.
It is lighthearted and spontaneous. The children may be giggling and having fun when you discover them.
When adults set limits (for example, children keep their clothes on at day care), children are able to follow the rules.
Preschool age (0 to 5 years)
Common:
Will have questions and express knowledge relating to:
differences in gender, private body parts,
hygiene and toileting,
pregnancy and birth.
Will explore genitals and can experience pleasure.
Showing and looking at private body parts.
Uncommon:
Having knowledge of specific sexual acts or explicit sexual language.
Engaging in adult-like sexual contact with other children.
School-age (6-8 years)
Common:
Will need knowledge and have questions about
physical development, relationships, sexual behavior
menstruation and pregnancy,
personal values.
Experiment with same-age and same gender children, often during games or role-playing.
Self stimulation in private is expected to continue.
Uncommon:
Adult-like sexual interactions,
Having knowledge of specific sexual acts,
Behaving sexually in a public place or through the use of phone or internet technology.
School-age (9-12 years)
Hormonal changes and external influences, such as peers, media and Internet, will increase sexual awareness, feelings and interest at the onset of puberty.
Common:
Will need knowledge and have questions about
Sexual materials and information,
Relationships and sexual behavior,
Using sexual words and discussing sexual acts and personal values, particularly with peers.
Increased experimentation with sexual behaviors and romantic relationships.
Self stimulation in private is expected to continue.
Uncommon:
Regularly occurring adult-like sexual behavior .
Behaving sexually in a public place.
Adolescence (13 to 16)
Common:
Will need information and have questions about
Decision making
Social relationships and sexual customs
Personal values and consequences of sexual behavior.
Self stimulation in private is expected to continue.
Girls will begin menstruation; boys will begin to produce sperm.
Sexual experimentation between adolescents of the same age and gender is common.
Voyeuristic behaviors are common in this age group.
First sexual intercourse will occur for approximately one third of teens.
Uncommon:
Masturbation in a public place.
Sexual interest directed toward much younger children.
Signs That an Adult May Be At-Risk to Harm a Child
Someone you care about may be acting in ways that worry or confuse you. The behaviors below may indicate a possible risk of sexual abuse to a child, but may also be a way for this adult to ask for help.
Many people with sexual behavior problemsi believe that others already suspect and often wish someone would ask what’s going on or advise them where to call to get help. Remember, you can start a conversation by pointing out harmful impacts on a child without accusing someone of abusive intentions.
Do you have concerns about someone you know in these areas of daily life?
Relationships
Misses or ignores social cues about others’ personal or sexual limits and boundariesi?
Often has a "special" child friend, maybe a different one from year to year?
Spends most of his/her spare time with children and shows little interest in spending time with someone their own age?
Encourages silence and secrets in children?
Sexual Interactions
Links sexuality and aggression in language or behavior, e.g. sexualized threats or insults, like “whore” or “slut”?
Makes fun of children's body parts, describes children with sexual words like “stud” or “sexy” or talks again and again about the sexual activities of children or teens?
Masturbates so often that it gets in the way of important day-to-day activities?
Has an interest in sexual fantasies involving children and seems unclear about what's appropriate with children?
Looks at child pornographyi or downloads/views Internet pornographyi and is not willing to show whether children are involved?
Asks adult partners to dress or act like a child or teen during sexual activity?
Personal Safety/Responsibility
Has been known to make poor decisions while misusing drugs or alcohol?
Justifies behavior, defends poor choices or harmful acts; blames others to refuse responsibility for behaviors?
Minimizes hurtful or harmful behaviors when confronted; denies harmfulness of actions or words despite a clear negative impact?
How sick.
Tisk Tisk.
Macon Telegraph
A former Upson County substitute teacher has been charged with possession of child pornography, according to the GBI.
Dawn Deborah Brantley, 44, of Meadow Drive in Thomaston, was arrested Wednesday afternoon following a search at her home, said John Bankhead, GBI spokesman.
Dawn Deborah Brantley
A preliminary search uncovered 65 pornographic images and five movie files. GBI agents discovered the images of suspected or known child pornography through observing the images being shared using Brantley’s computer’s IP address, Bankhead said.
“The computer was seized and they will analyze it forensically to determine how many images were on there,” he said.
Bankhead said he didn’t know if the images depicted girls or boys.
While serving the search warrant for the child pornography, authorities discovered a small amount of methamphetamine and methamphetamine smoking devices at Brantley’s home, he said.
Upson County deputies charged Brantley with a violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, according to a news release.
Brantley was released from the Upson County jail on $15,000 bond Thursday morning, according to the Upson County Sheriff’s Office.
A message left at her home was not returned Thursday.
Brantley’s three children, between ages 12 and 17, were not at home when authorities served the search warrant, Bankhead said.
The Upson County Department of Family and Children Services took custody of the teenagers Wednesday, according to the release.
Bankhead said none of the pornographic images involved Brantley’s children.
“There’s nothing we’ve found that indicates (the photos were taken) by anyone in the home,” he said.
Mike Gatlin, assistant superintendent of the Thomaston-Upson County School System, said Brantley sporadically worked as a substitute teacher in the school system between 2001 and April 2009.
She was unemployed at the time of her arrest, but also had worked as a licensed nurse, according to the release.
Bankhead said the GBI’s investigation is continuing and additional arrests are possible.
Brantley was arrested through activities of the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that works to identify people involved in the child pornography trade. The task force was created by the U.S. Department of Justice in response to an increasing number of children and teenagers using the Internet, a boost in child pornography and heightened online activity by people searching for unsupervised contact with children, according to the release.
Between January and July of this year, the task force has made 112 arrests. The task force made 164 arrests in 2009 and 109 arrests in 2008.
Bankhead said less than 5 percent of the people arrested were women.
Do a little research on legal terms and such before making anymore dumb comments, please.
Here is you another one to explain to me. Why is the word FUTURE used in reference to reservations. Example: For future reservations call ###-###-####. Has anyone that you know ever called to make reservations for yesterday.
If you want to make a reservation, I damn sure hope the word FUTURE is implied...unless you are driving your Pappy's time machine.
Just because you don't know or understand something, doesn't mean everyone else is stupid, maybe you are the one with the issues.
You sure fooled me!
TO WORK THIS WAY. LADIES AND FEMALES COVER UP MORE OF YOUR BODY,MY HUSBAND ALWAYS THOUGHT A WOMAN WAS MORE SEXY WITH CLOTHES ON SOUNDS TO ME THIS MOTHR IS TRYING TO PROTECT HER CHILD , I KNOW A CASE CLOSELY TO ME HE PROTECTED HIS DAUGHTER AND NOW HES SERVING 5 YRS AND OUR FAMILY IS TORN APART, AND HIS DAUGHTER ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE , FREEDOM ,AND RIDING THR ROADS she doesn.t know,
WHEN THE CHILD SUPPORT MONEY STOPS COMING IN SHE MIGHT WONDER WHERES HER DAD IS ? SHE NEEDS SOME MONEY well honey you will find him locked up in jail because of your stupidity
WELL WHY IN THE HECK ARE YOU BABBLING ALL DAY LONG ON THIS COMMENT BOARD ABOUT THINGS THAT DON'T PERTAIN TO ANYTHING??????
And who is cleaning your house and washing your behind while you're camped out in front of the computer all day? You know our fire dept. is not equipped to cut the roof off of your house to get you out if you fall and can't get up.
/sarcasm