A Maryville woman accused of hacking into her aunts Google account has been charged following an investigation into a video circulating social media and how it was acquired.
Amanda Carter, 31, was charged with two counts of computer use violations and two counts of wiretapping and electronic surveillance violation after allegedly posting a video to Facebook that showed her son being slapped in the face.
According to a Blount County Sheriff's Office report filed on Dec. 30, Linda Griffing said Carter, her niece, hacked into her computer and stole her pictures. She said she had never given the pictures to anyone, nor had she sent them to anyone electronically. The sheriff's office was able to determine the photos were being stored on Griffing's Google account.
The sheriff's office said they checked the account and learned it was illegally accessed and the recovery password was sent to Carter's email address, the report states.
The sheriff's office said Carter told investigators she had heard her children were possibly being abused by Griffing and she decided she needed proof.
Carter said she knowingly accessed the account belonging to Griffing twice to get the information she needed to prove the children were being abused.
In the report, the sheriff's office said Carter told them she feels like her children are being abused and are in danger, however, she did not contact the Sheriff's Office, nor DCS, to report the abuse. Carter said she was proud she did it and stated she believed it was "worth it" to access the account and the emails.
Carter alleged Griffing gave her the password a couple years ago and believed that was an open invitation to access the account any time she wanted. However, Griffing said she does not believe she should have to get permission each time she uses the account and that she did not give the account information to anyone.
BCSO and the Department of Child Services have both launched investigations into the incident.
