Sahuarita Fourth-Grader Exposed to Online Predator at School

Sahuarita Police investigating incident where student was solicited by man exposing himself via video chat

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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A Copper View Elementary fourth-grader in Sahuarita, Arizona visited a non-school related website at school and was subsequently solicited by a man who exposed his genitals to the boy via video chat. The Sahuarita Police Department is investigating the incident with the cooperation of the Sahuarita Unified School District.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges schools face in keeping students safe from online predators, even with robust internet filtering and security measures in place. It also underscores the need for continued education and collaboration between schools, parents, and law enforcement to address emerging cyber threats targeting children.

The details

The student accessed a version of the website Omegle, which randomly connects users in online chats with strangers. The website was shut down by its founder in 2023 due to its use by pedophiles. The student was able to bypass the school district's firewall and access the website, which is not an approved educational site. School officials are working with police to investigate the incident and identify the perpetrator.

  • The incident occurred on Wednesday, February 10, 2026.

The players

Sahuarita Police Department

The local law enforcement agency investigating the incident.

Sahuarita Unified School District

The school district cooperating with the police investigation and working to improve internet safety measures.

Manuel Villa

The IT Director for the Sahuarita Unified School District.

Amber Woods

The spokeswoman for the Sahuarita Unified School District.

Manny Valenzuela

The Superintendent of the Sahuarita Unified School District.

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What they’re saying

“There can be no honest accounting of Omegle without acknowledging that some people misused it, including to commit unspeakably heinous crimes.”

— Leif Brooks (News outlets)

“What I mentioned to parents and teachers all the time is that our internet in the district is very different. It's not even close to what is the internet at home, because we have really good guardrails that keep us safe and the students safe.”

— Manuel Villa, IT Director, Sahuarita Unified School District (myheraldreview.com)

“Technology is not good or bad, it's how you use it, and school districts need to 'embrace the positive and mitigate the negative'.”

— Manny Valenzuela, Superintendent, Sahuarita Unified School District (myheraldreview.com)

What’s next

The boy is scheduled to sit down with a forensic interviewer at the Children's Advocacy Center of Southern Arizona to provide more details on the incident. Police are also working to track down the perpetrator.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the ongoing need for schools, parents, and law enforcement to collaborate closely in addressing the evolving threats of online predators targeting children, even in seemingly secure school environments. Continued vigilance, education, and proactive measures are crucial to protecting students in the digital age.