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A vacation rental near Yosemite National Park in Oakhurst, California has become the focus of a disturbing criminal investigation after authorities uncovered more than 4,000 files of alleged child sexual abuse material, along with evidence that guests were secretly filmed without their knowledge.
Christian Parmalee Edwards, 44, was arrested on Thursday (March 19) after detectives from the Madera County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at his home on Granite Butte Way in Oakhurst, about 15 miles south of Yosemite National Park. The investigation was triggered by multiple tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which flagged suspected illegal material originating in Madera County.
According to Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue, Edwards filmed guests both from outside the home through window blinds and from inside, where he lived on the third floor. "Whether he was sneaking down, we're not sure of the circumstances," Sheriff Pogue said. "He's also secretly videotaping children clothed, but like zooming into inappropriate places on children."
Investigators believe Edwards filmed between 10 and 15 women and at least one child, approximately six years old, without their clothes on. Detectives seized 30 devices in total during the search.
adera County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Kate Woertman said that when investigators seized Edwards' devices, they began finding "videos of children and women being filmed in places where they should have had their privacy." Edwards allegedly recorded guests "through cracks in the blinds in little private areas," Woertman added.
Notably, no hidden cameras were used — the recordings were made directly by Edwards.
Sheriff Pogue told reporters that Edwards was actually watching one of the videos when detectives arrived to serve the warrant. "His last rental checked out on March 16," Sheriff Pogue said. "The video he was actually watching on his phone when detectives opened that phone was the recording from March 16."
Among the other items found at the property were a lifelike child doll designed for sexual use — with its hands bound — as well as new children's underwear and clothing.
Edwards first listed the property as a short-term commercial rental in July 2025, and also advertised privately on Facebook and Craigslist.