Two Nova Scotia teens accused of distributing child porn

Two teenagers in Nova Scotia are facing child pornography charges after intimate images were allegedly distributed and published online.

After Windsor District RCMP received a complaint on Jan. 6, investigators determined that three intimate images of a 15-year-old girl were being distributed online and through text messages.

Police say other students noticed the photos and told school authorities, who reported the matter to police.

Two 15-year-olds, a boy and a girl, both from Hants County, are facing charges of possession and distribution of child pornography. The girl is also charged with publishing pornography, police say.

"The female had the image and she posted it on an online chat site, which therefore would be the publication of child pornography," RCMP Const. Mark Skinner told CTV Atlantic.

Police say the victim and the accused all know each other. The accused teens are due in court on April 1.

The case is a stark reminder for Leah Parsons, the mother of Rehtaeh Parsons.

Rehtaeh Parsons died in April 2013 after attempting suicide. Her family alleges that she was sexually assaulted in 2011, and bullied for months after a digital photo of the assault was passed around her school.

"It brings up emotions," Leah Parsons told CTV Atlantic. "But when I hear that it's been dealt with very quickly and efficiently, it gives me hope that the message is going to get out there to the student body, that it's just not acceptable to share photos to degrade somebody this way."

She said while she's happy police acted so quickly in the new case, she believes more needs to be done.

"We have to get into those schools," she said. "We have to keep talking and keep telling the students how important this is, because these are teenagers who do things on impulse."

Police are urging all parents to talk to their children about the potential dangers of smartphones.

"Much of our youth are constantly communicating on their smartphones," Const. Skinner said in a statement. "We need to ensure they understand the gravity of their actions and the consequences associated with the sharing of intimate images without consent."

Skinner said the only way to truly protect yourself is to refrain from taking intimate or naked photos.

With a report from CTV Atlantic's Kayla Hounsell and files from The Canadian Press