The judge overseeing Emmeline Kenealy’s hearing on Thursday, Oct. 5 elected against pretrial release, meaning Kenealy will continue to be detained in the weeks leading up to her preliminary hearing on Oct. 24. 

According to the judge, Kenealy poses a real and present threat to the community, despite having no previous criminal record. The judge ruled that there are no pretrial conditions that would allow Kenealy to be released at this time without the concern of a potential threat to the community.

Kenealy, a 21-year-old Augustana senior, was arrested in the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 2 on three counts of child pornography. The counts, allegedly committed on Aug. 17, 2022, involve a toddler and an adult male. These are Class X felonies in the state of Illinois. 

According to the court, the Rock Island Police Department used a search warrant to conduct a search of Kenealy’s dorm room on Monday. This came after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report from Snapchat about the three alleged counts of child pornography present on Kenealy’s account.

Kenealy admitted to possessing and sharing these images and to looking at child pornography as recently as Oct. 1, 2023, according to a statement made by the prosecution. 

Kenealy is set to appear in court on Oct. 24 at 8:30 a.m. for her preliminary hearing. She will remain in the Rock Island County jail until then.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Emmeline Kenealy is a former employee of the Observer.