THOMASVILLE — A Thomas County man — a foster parent — is charged with electronically furnishing obscene material to minors in a case involving a foster child in his care.

The Thomas County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint about foster parent Jamie Taylor in March, said Lt. Tim Watkins, sheriff’s office chief investigator.

Someone who knows Taylor saw him and the foster child at a Thomasville business.

“They saw what they thought was inappropriate behavior between him and the child,” Watkins said.

The 16-year-old foster child was interviewed at The Treehouse Children’s Advocacy Center in Thomasville. 

“We got no disclosure,” the investigator said.

In May, the sheriff’s office received another complaint in which investigators were told an “affair” was underway between Taylor and the teen.

The teen was interviewed again at The Treehouse. 

“The child admitted there was an affair going on,” Watkins said.

Because the child is 16, criminal charges in the relationship could not be filed. Georgia law states that 16 is the age of consent.

The investigation showed Taylor sent the foster child inappropriate photos of his genitals, resulting in the charge of furnishing obscene material to minors.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Family and Children Services’ investigative unit is looking into the case, said Ronn Ross, Thomas County DFCS director.

Thomas County DFCS removed the teen from the suspect’s home, but the local DFCS did not place the foster child in the home, Ross said.

The Taylor home, he said, was a private foster home and not under DFCS auspices.

Taylor, 46, 108 Willow Ridge Circle, was released from the Thomas County Jail on a $550 bond. 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820