Warren County has seen too many internet-related sex crimes involving underage youth in recent months.

We detailed a few of them earlier this week as part of the county’s announcement of the WRATH (Web Response Against Traffickers and Harmers) unit. Announced by Cody Brown, first assistant district attorney, the specialized investigative unit will work with local police officers to protect children from online exploitation.

Specifically it will target offenders who attempt to victimize children through online communication or by possessing and distributing child pornography. The new group will also work in partnership with other law enforcement agencies across the commonwealth and is formally associated with Internet Crimes Against Children, a nationwide program of task forces dedicated to combating the sexual exploitation of children online.

Warren County has seen, in our opinion, more than its fair share of these types of charges in recent months. Melissa Mclean, Warren Children’s Advocacy Program executive director, told The Times Observer over the summer that her agency conducted 70 interviews last year, and 30 through early June 2025. That’s more than one interview with a possible child sex abuse victim a week – and not all cases involving attempted online sex abuse cases go through the Children’s Advocacy Program.

The District Attorney’s office program is a proactive step that we hope pays dividends. Proactive law enforcement punishes those they catch in the act. But we’d prefer children don’t find their way into the crosshairs of these types of investigations in the first place. That’s up to parents to make sure they’re paying attention to their child’s online activity and actively talking with their children about the dangers of online predators.

It’s long past time to be more proactive when it comes to attempts to solicit underage children or to possess and distribute child pornography. The District Attorney’s office and local police agencies are going to do their part. Parents have to do theirs, too.