SAN ANTONIO — On Wednesday three men were arrested in separate incidents after vigilant parents found disturbing images and explicit messages on their child's phone.
"Upwards of 80% to 90% of his cases, start on social media." says Sheriff Javier Salazar
Shocking statistics shared by Sheriff Javier Salazar are showing more children are being targeted by sexual predators on social media.
On Wednesday BCSO arrested two suspects, 21-year-old Carlos Mejia-Melgar and 19-year-old Josue Daniel Marquez Urrutia on child sex assault charges.
Deputies say these charges came after a mother found concerning photos on her daughters phone, so she began looking into the girl's Instagram account.
"She found what appeared to be not just explicit photos of the 14-year-old victim, but explicit conversations between these two suspects." says Sheriff Salazar.
Deputies say the two suspects met the victim at a Wal-Mart, and exchanged information including social media accounts.
"This is a pretty sober reminder to remind parents, we've just got to be careful on who our kids are talking to by text messages, by social media." says Sheriff Salazar.
San Antonio Police also made an arrest on Wednesday for 29 year-old, Joe Ramos. Ramos is accused of on-line solicitation of a minor under 14. Police say the parents of the victim went through their child's phone and found explicit messages and images.
"Parents through monitoring their daughters phone and social media, were able to discover this," says Officer Ricardo Guzman, SAPD Public Information Officer.
Police are also encouraging parents to be vigilant.
"Monitor your juveniles phone, text messages, social media. There's a lot of people out there that are what's called cat fishing. It's not who they really are." says Guzman.
Sheriff Salazar says he commends the parents of the victim in his case, for being vigilant.