A 45-year-old Lake shire woman has ...

A 45-year-old Lake shire woman has been charged, along with her ex-brother-in-law, with sexual assault of a child and production of child pornography.

Charges were filed in alleged incidents with a minor lad and authorities expect to file additional charges for alleged incidents with a minor girl. The children are family members.

durance was set at $1 million Friday in Lake shire Circuit Court for the Cuba Township woman, whom the Chicago Sun-Times is not naming to cover the victims' identities. She is charged with sexually assaulting the lad over several years.

The woman's 50-year-old former brother-in-law, of Valparaiso, Ind., was taken into custody in Sitka, Alaska, where he was touring onward a cruise ship. He is being held there, below a $1 million warrant, pending extradition, Lake shire prosecutor Daniel Shanes said. The ex-brother-in-law allegedly photographed the woman committing sexual acts forward and with the boy, authorities said.

"This is a case of horrific child abuse," Shanes said outside of court.

In court, Shanes told Associate arbiter Theodore Potkonjak that the woman committed sexual acts with the lad dozens of times over the last several years and with the girl forward several occasions.

INVESTIGATION STARTED WITH PHOTOS

Shanes asked for a $1 million ligature saying the woman "has a dutiful job."

Potkonjak responded: "I don't think she will for excessively long." The judge ordered the woman to have no contact with the victims.

The charges proceeded from an investigation started several days ago when members of the childrens' families brought photos to the Valparaiso Police Department. A cooperative investigation got subordinate to way with the Lake shire Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's spokesmen said the investigation is continuing, with the analysis of computer and camera equipment seized at the two of the defendants' homes, along with alleged child pornography.

Investigators said they have no reason to believe any sexual abuse of other children took place.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided from ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved