General · 17 February 2026
US agent tracks abused child using furniture clues
Specialist investigator Greg Squire led a Department of Homeland Security unit working to locate a 12-year-old victim known as Lucy. The team analysed background items in dark web abuse images, initially using electrical sockets to place the girl in North America. A specific sofa sold only in certain regions later helped narrow the daunting list of suspects to 40,000 people across 29 states.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs