A Sydney author, Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa, who writes under the pen name Tori Woods, has been arrested and charged with child abuse material offenses in connection with her controversial novel titled “Daddy’s Little Toy.” The book, which details a troubling relationship between an 18-year-old girl and her father’s friend, has drawn vehement backlash for allegedly glorifying pedophilia.
The book was set to be released online but came under heavy fire after social media users, including outraged readers, accused it of normalizing inappropriate relationships. Among the alarming content, critics highlighted passages in which the male protagonist describes sexual concepts involving his best friend’s daughter from the young age of three. The novel’s cover design featuring children’s building blocks further exacerbated the claims of child exploitation.
The outcry over “Daddy’s Little Toy” ignited a series of complaints that quickly reached law enforcement. In March 2025, following numerous tips and formal complaints received by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, officers from the Riverstone Police Area Command initiated an investigation into Tesolin-Mastrosa’s work.
On March 21, 2025, detectives arrested the 33-year-old at her home in Quakers Hill shortly after noon. According to the New South Wales Police, “At about 12:30 PM, detectives attended a home in Quakers Hill and arrested a 33-year-old woman before taking her to Riverstone Police Station.” Additionally, a search warrant executed at her residence resulted in the seizure of multiple hard copies of the novel for forensic examination.
Charged with possessing child abuse material, disseminating child abuse material, and producing child abuse material, Tesolin-Mastrosa was subsequently granted conditional bail. She is scheduled to appear before Blacktown Local Court on March 31, 2025. The gravity of the charges she faces could lead to hefty legal repercussions, including significant jail time if found guilty.
Public reaction to the arrest has been overwhelmingly critical, with many citizens expressing their relief. One user remarked, “Happy days!!!!!! Justice has been served!!!!!! 😃” in response to the news. Another user commented furiously, “Men are worried about fantasy books, but there’s a pedophilic mother of a 3 year old just wrote sexually explicit content about a 3 years old, and nobody cares to blow that up.”
Those associated with the book distanced themselves from Tesolin-Mastrosa amid the fallout. Georgia Stove, the cover designer, released a statement announcing her severing of ties with the author, citing that she had received death threats following the outcry. “I have cut ties with Tori Woods, effective immediately,” she said. Stove emphasized that she had no prior knowledge of the book’s content, only seeing the blurb that described it as ‘barely legal’ and initially thought it was acceptable.
In an attempt to clarify her position, Tesolin-Mastrosa took to social media before deleting her accounts, asserting that the situation was a misunderstanding. “DLT is definitely not promoting or inciting anything ever to do with (child sexual abuse) or pedophilia,” she stated. “What is being said is grossly disturbing and breaks my heart as well as makes me sick.” However, her words were not enough to alleviate the outrage, and her book faced removal from both Amazon and Goodreads.
Prior to her arrest, Tesolin-Mastrosa had been employed as a marketing executive at BaptistCare, a Christian charity. The organization confirmed that on March 20, 2025, after receiving complaints about her, they had to take action, leading to her resignation. A spokesperson stated that they take matters of ethical conduct seriously, mentioning they had received complaints regarding an unnamed employee, further amplifying the public’s shock over the circumstances.
The controversy surrounding “Daddy’s Little Toy” continues to raise questions about the content produced in the realm of erotic fiction and the accountability of authors. As Tesolin-Mastrosa awaits her court appearance, the spotlight remains on her alleged actions and the growing discussions surrounding literature that borders on morally ambiguous terrain.
With the evidence mounting and public sentiment heavily against her, the fate of Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa will soon rest in the hands of the legal system as it grapples with this divisive and troubling issue.
