Cyber Tip Leads to Arrest of Former Stillwater Daycare Employee For Child Sex Crimes
Stillwater Police Department - June 8, 2022 6:01 am
Savannah Noel Hawthorne
Savannah Noel Hawthorne, 22, was arrested for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material on Friday, June 3rd, 2022.
Stillwater Police Department Detective Wheeler received a cyber tip on November 2, 2021, from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). The cyber tip received from NCMEC indicated Twitter identified apparent child pornography on their network. Some of the information received from Twitter indicated the suspect had possession of child pornography and was actively soliciting buyers for distribution. Detective Wheeler, member of the Criminal Investigations Unit and cross-commissioned member of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), began a lengthy and painstaking investigation to identify the suspect, Savannah Noel Hawthorne of Enid, OK.
Hawthorne moved from Stillwater to Enid. While she lived in Stillwater she worked at a local daycare facility. Detective Wheeler coordinated with the Payne County District Attorney’s Office and obtained an arrest warrant for Hawthorne on charges of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material.
On Friday June 3, with the assistance of Enid Police Department and OSBI, Stillwater detectives served a search warrant at Hawthorne’s residence in Enid and seized a number of evidentiary items. Hawthorne was taken into custody under warrant and booked at the Payne County Jail.
The Stillwater daycare facility Hawthorne was previously employed by has been notified and are fully cooperating with investigators. Parents and legal guardians of the children who were under the care of Hawthorne, have been alerted. The possibility of harm to any children at the facility is being thoroughly investigated.
The investigation is ongoing. This is an arrest, not a conviction.
Anyone with information regarding this suspect or her activities is asked to contact SPD Tipline.
