Montana clinic worker fired for reporting suspicion patient had child porn

(CBS) MISSOULA, Mont. - A Montana mental health worker who reported her client to police when she suspected he might have child pornography has been fired, reports The Missoulian newspaper.

The client, John Gribble, is charged with sexually abusing a child.

According to the Missoulian, the woman contacted police on Oct. 17 because she had seen the words "female child nude" and "preteen girls nude by themselves" on Gribble's computer. She told police she was concerned for the safety of the daughters of two women for whom Gribble apparently babysat.

Before calling police, the woman went  to her supervisors at Three Rivers Health Solutions in Missoula, who reportedly told the woman she should not report the incident.

"In order to provide mental health services, we can't engage in dual roles. We're not allowed to go to police" unless actual child abuse is observed," Three Rivers Administrator Shea Hennelly told the Missoulian.

"She didn't witness someone abusing a child. What this woman reported to this office was she saw the tab of Web browsers that said teenage girls. That's a lot different."

Police searched Gribble's home on Oct. 19 and found photos of children, including some who were undressed.