HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A woman said her relative was a victim in a child sex abuse investigation out of Hendersonville. Now, she is sharing her story in hopes of reaching other potential victims.
According to the Hendersonville Police Department, officers started an investigation in October 2022 that led to the arrest and indictment of 39-year-old Jay Chandler, who is facing more than 100 total counts of various sex-related charges.
The Nashville woman, who is not going to be identified by News 2 due to the sensitivity of the case, said that many of the details in this investigation are too gruesome for TV and she fears there are likely other children who have been harmed.
“He’s a total monster, complete total monster for the things he did to these children,” she explained.
The woman’s family member was 9 years old when the abuse reportedly began.
“To take the innocence from a 9-year-old child is absolutely disgusting. It has broken everyone’s heart in our family, we are devastated,” she said. “Our hearts are crying out for, of course, our family member, but also anyone else that’s out there that may not know he’s been charged with this.”
Police said Chandler has been charged with the following:
- One count of sexual exploitation of a minor (>50 images)
- Five counts of statutory rape by an authority figure
- Seven counts of rape of a child
- 24 counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor
- 25 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor (>100 images)
- 39 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor
“There were 200 photos, and I know for sure 14 videos, that he made of himself committing these crimes,” the woman stated.
According to the woman, images on Chandler’s phone documented crimes with at least two children.
“A monster like this, you never know what’s possible, and I absolutely in my heart believe that these two victims are not the only two victims that he’s hurt,” she said.
The woman said the evidence uncovered so far shows abuse with her loved one from 2017 through 2020. This news has left her family outraged and heartbroken.
“He will be a monster that haunts them in their dreams or, you know, their nightmares forever. It’s awful, it’s absolutely terrible,” she said. “I believe that he deserves to rot right there in Summer County jail or prison or wherever they send him forever.”
According to the victim’s family, there is still a long road ahead in this case, and they will be there every step of the way to make sure justice is served to the fullest.
If you have any information about this ongoing investigation, you are asked to report it to the Hendersonville Police Department at 615-822-1111 or the Hendersonville Crime Stoppers at 615- 594-4113.
