FBI had two investigations into Josh Powell

SALT LAKE CITY — Josh Powell was investigated for the disappearance of his wife, Susan from their Utah home in 2009.

What most people didn’t know, is that the FBI was also investigating Powell on suspicion of child porn after cartoon images of incest between mothers and children were discovered on his computer.  That investigation was revealed Sunday by the Salt Lake Tribune after it studied FBI documents.

It also raised new questions about why Powell had the right to visit his children and the opportunity to harm them.

In February of 2012, after Powell had lost custody of 7-year-old Charlie and 5-year-old Braden, a state caseworker delivered the boys to Powell’s rented home for a visit.

He killed his sons and himself in an explosion and fire.  It was yet another devastating blow to Chuck and Judy Cox who had already lost their daughter, Susan.

Now they lost the grandsons that had been in their care.  The Cox family attorney,  Anne Bremner said the family was never told about the FBI’s child porn investigation.

Bremner believes it’s just one more reason why Josh Powell should not have been allowed to be alone with his kids.

“It’s incest, it’s children with their parents.  Four hundred images that CPS knew about, and they still said, you can visit your kids.  So this would be yet another red flag for them to consider as to whether or not he should visit those kids.  I don’t know what else it would take,” Bremner said.

Bremner raised another question.

“How do all these agencies share information and how should they in the future?” she said.

Chuck and Judy Cox are now suing the state for failing to protect their grandchildren.  That lawsuit is scheduled for trial this fall.

KIRO