VALPARAISO, INDIANA (BNO NEWS) -- Two 13-year-old children from Indiana were charged on Wednesday after they were found 'sexting' with each other, police said on Thursday.

Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages and/or photographs, usually via mobile phones. It has become a controversial issue in recent years when it involves children as prosecutors are unsure how to stop and how to punish the behavior, which can have devastating consequences.

In the latest case in Indiana, Valparaiso police were called to Thomas Jefferson Middle School on Wednesday after school officials learned that two 13-year-old students, a boy and a girl, had been texting nude photos of themselves to each other.

"Police learned through their investigation that the photos were sent in late March of this year and that both students had the photos stored in their cellular phones," Sgt. Michael Grennes said. He did not say how school officials found out about the photos.

"Police contacted the Juvenile Probation Department and both students were released to their guardians with charges of Child Exploitation referred to the Juvenile Probation Department," Grennes added.

One in five teen girls and boys has admitted to sexting, according to a survey conducted by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. An even large number said they had received sexually explicit photos of other children which were meant to be private, highlighting the risk of sexting.

But as the case in Indiana shows, both children involved can also face serious charges for the behavior, which some have argued should not be prosecuted when it only involves children. Some of those charged as a result of sexting have been placed on sex offender registries, effectively ruining their chances of having a normal life.

As state sex statutes were written before cell phones and the Internet, more than a dozen states are currently considering rewriting sex laws to update them in order to separate sexting from child pornography. This would allow lighter punishments for those caught sexting.

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