Phone found on Holmes Elementary playground contained child pornography

Wed., March 22, 2017

By Nina Culver nculver47@gmail.com

Police are investigating a phone filled with child pornography found on the playground at Holmes Elementary School last month.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for the phone, which is believed to belong to the father of one of the school’s students.

The phone was found with a dead battery in February. In early March an employee at the school was able to charge the phone in an attempt to determine who the owner was so the phone could be returned, according to court records. Instead the employee discovered sexually explicit photos of young girls and police were called.

A student at the school told school employees that the phone belongs to his father. The investigation is still ongoing and no criminal charges have been filed.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.