Wife suspects her church deacon husband of infidelity, leading her to find hidden bathroom videos that prompt a police investigation.

Tennessee Man Charged After Wife Finds Disturbing Videos

A Tennessee man, previously serving as a church deacon, faces criminal charges after his wife stumbled upon troubling content on his cellphone. During a medical procedure, she discovered a video of an underage babysitter, allegedly recorded in their bathroom.

Christopher Thomas Collins, 42, was taken into custody on January 14 after authorities found explicit material on his phone. He is currently being held on a $50,000 bail, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

During a marriage counseling session, Collins’ wife revealed that she found videos of minors on his phone. According to police statements, he had handed her the device while he was undergoing medical treatment.

His wife had suspicions of infidelity and decided to check his phone, ultimately discovering explicit videos and photos of their former babysitter inside a hidden folder. She reported to investigators that these recordings appeared to come from a small camera that had been placed in the downstairs bathroom of their Hixson home, located about 90 minutes southeast of Nashville. The officers later discovered hidden cameras aimed at the shower and toilet, as detailed in court documents.

Collins had told his wife that the cameras were installed to monitor for rats. She ended up deleting the files but managed to take a screenshot of a ‘recently deleted’ folder.

The situation escalated when church officials at Abba, where Collins served as a deacon, encouraged her to notify the authorities. Soon after, police arrived to speak with her. They were concerned that Collins might erase evidence and decided to confront him directly. Officers eventually stopped his vehicle to take him into custody, where they confiscated his cellphone and he consented to let them search his home.

During the search, law enforcement seized two SD cards from a camera and an old mobile phone. The camera, located near the bathroom water heater, was aimed at the shower and toilet. Collins admitted to being aware of the bathroom camera and confessed to using an app to view the captured images.

He acknowledged to investigators that he had seen nude images recorded on the camera and had kept them for a while before deciding to delete them. Forensic analysis revealed nine video files dated in 2025, which reportedly show the girl changing clothing, using the bathroom, and showering.

Authorities confirmed that these recordings were made without the girl’s knowledge or consent, in a setting where she had a reasonable expectation of privacy. They classified the material as related to child sexual abuse.

Collins was charged with nine counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, corresponding to the files located on his phone.

Under Tennessee law, aggravated sexual exploitation of minors involves knowingly facilitating or allowing a minor to engage in sexual conduct, or participate in the creation of any objectionable sexual material.

Following the arrest, a spokesperson from Abba’s House announced that Collins had lost his deacon position. The church issued a statement emphasizing their concern for his wife and children during this difficult period, confirming that they reported the incident to police immediately.

Collins has been removed from the church directory, and the pastor mentioned that the church would help with the family’s living expenses and counseling until they could regain stability.