Butler Arrested After Hidden Camera Footage Found

A butler from suburban Chattanooga, Tennessee, was apprehended following a dental visit during which he asked his wife to keep her smartphone. While he was undergoing the procedure, she searched through his files and uncovered nude videos of their 15-year-old babysitter, recorded without her knowledge, according to police reports.

Christopher Thomas Collins, 42, who worked at Abba House in Hixson, was arrested on Wednesday and faces nine counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Law enforcement took Collins into custody after his wife found the troubling video. She had suspected infidelity and decided to check his phone during an emergency dental appointment. This incident was revealed by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

According to local news sources, Collins’ wife had known the teenager, and the girl was a family acquaintance who had recently visited their home. She suspected that he had hidden a camera in their downstairs bathroom. The minor seemed aware of the camera while she used the shower and restroom.

After discovering the recordings, Collins’ wife confronted him in their vehicle. Initially, he ignored her, but then claimed the camera was meant to catch a rat in the ceiling. He insisted that he forgot the camera was recording and had hidden the file to avoid causing jealousy.

Shocked by her discovery, Collins’ wife sought counsel at their church, where members advised her to contact the police. For her safety and that of her children, staff arranged hotel accommodations.

Authorities arrested Collins later during a traffic stop. They seized his phone and conducted a search of his residence with his permission, retrieving two SD cards from a small camera and an older phone.

Collins reportedly acknowledged being aware of the bathroom camera and admitted to using an app to view its footage. During police questioning, he allegedly confessed that he had recorded the minor’s actions.

Investigators discovered nine videos from 2025 that showed the girl in various states of undress in the bathroom.

Following his arrest, Collins was stripped of his deacon title at the church, where he had served for four years. The pastor confirmed that Collins’ wife told him the girl captured in the video was just 15 years old.