Georgia court official fired after arrest in child porn investigation

A Meriwether County Magistrate Court deputy clerk was fired after her arrest in connection with a child pornography investigation.

Chief Magistrate Shirlene Lowry told AJC.com early Friday that Carol Washington was terminated Wednesday.

That was the same day the GBI arrested Washington, 49, and Trinity Thomas Davidson, 38, on a charge of sexual exploitation of children. Though both were taken into custody the same day, their cases are not related, the state agency said.

The GBI started investigating them after learning from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that both may have uploaded child porn online.

Authorities secured warrants to search Washington’s home in Woodbury and Davidson’s home in Luthersville. While the GBI did not disclose what agents and Meriwether County sheriff’s deputies found in the residences, they said the searches led to the arrests. In addition to sexual exploitation of children, Washington was charged with violation of oath of office.

She and Davidson were booked into the Meriwether County Jail, according to the agency.