Five Karns City High School students are accused in a sexting case, state police said.

Two of the students, both girls, ages 12 and 14, are suspected of sharing nude photographs of themselves with two boys, ages 14 and 15.

The photos were also distributed to a 13-year-old boy and “other minors,” according to a police report Wednesday.

The exchanging of the photographs occurred between Dec. 1 and Jan. 25, police said. The photos were taken and sent by cell phone.

Police said their investigation began after they were notified by Karns City School District officials. Investigators did not know how district officials became aware of the incident.

It also was not know if the sharing of the pictures occurred while the students were in school.

The girls, who police described as both “accused” and “victims,” and the three boys are all charged with transmission of sexually explicit images by a minor.

A telephone call to Karns City Superintendent Eric Ritzert was not immediately returned this morning.