A heavily pregnant school worker in New South Wales, Australia, has been granted bail after being charged with offenses related to child abuse material. Lucy Ray McKenzie, 35, was arrested last month at her home, where police allege she twice attempted to hinder officers attempting to confiscate her mobile phone.
McKenzie faces four counts of using a carriage service to make available child abuse material, reportedly linked to her alleged use of the Kik messaging and chat application. Investigators allege that child abuse material activity was linked to an IP address registered in Gilgandra, where McKenzie resides.
During a court hearing, disturbing details of alleged child abuse material found on McKenzie's phone were presented. The material is said to include images depicting the sexual assault of a baby under 12 months old. At the time of her arrest, McKenzie was working as a receptionist at Gilgandra Public School but has since been suspended.
McKenzie had previously been refused bail, raising the possibility that she might give birth while in custody. However, following negotiations on strict bail conditions, Judge Brett Shields approved her release.
Her bail conditions include a prohibition on entering any school, pre-school, or childcare facility. She is also forbidden from being unaccompanied in the presence of anyone aged 16 or under, unless that person is her own child. McKenzie must adhere to home detention, only leaving her approved premises to attend court, meet with legal representatives, or seek emergency medical treatment. Furthermore, she is prohibited from possessing a mobile phone or any internet-enabled device. McKenzie also faces a charge of hindering or resisting a police officer.
She is scheduled to appear before Gilgandra Local Court on September 7, which is around her expected due date. McKenzie, previously known locally by her maiden name Lucy Scotti, had worked at a town day-care center before becoming a School Learning Support Officer.