A doctor from Florida is in serious trouble after being accused of exploiting children he met online. Stephen Leedy, who is 59 and lives in St. Petersburg, has been charged with some very disturbing crimes. According to the Justice Department, he allegedly ordered kids to harm themselves during video calls, telling them to cut, choke, and even hang themselves.
Tragically, one of his victims, a 13-year-old girl, was found dead, hanging from a shower head with a dog leash around her neck. This heartbreaking incident is part of a larger investigation that led to an indictment against Leedy on December 26. He faces several serious charges, including three counts of producing child sexual abuse material and two counts of coercing minors into sexual activity. If he’s found guilty, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Leedy, who worked as a palliative care doctor in the Tampa Bay area, used an online name, “maximumuncle#9112,” to connect with about ten minors. He reportedly instructed them to send sexually explicit images and to follow harmful instructions that he provided during their online chats. In November 2021, one of the girls he spoke to was found dead, having hanged herself in a way that matched what Leedy had told her to do.
Prosecutors have revealed that the evidence against him is very strong, showing that he posed a significant danger to children. They emphasized that releasing him from custody would put the community at risk. Investigators confirmed Leedy’s ownership of the account he used to interact with the minors. Some victims have come forward to share their experiences, detailing the horrific things he encouraged them to do.
According to the prosecution, Leedy would coach several girls through video chats, instructing them to harm themselves with everyday objects. For example, he allegedly told a 13-year-old to cut her body and choke herself. In one chilling message, he asked her if she could picture her life filled with self-harm and not eating. He also instructed another girl to use a belt for choking, asking if she had ever tried hanging it over a door.
Law enforcement, including the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, arrested Leedy in October, but it took until last week for him to be officially indicted. The prosecutors described the nature of his offenses as extremely serious, noting that he directed at least three victims named in the indictment and several others to create child pornography while on video calls with him. He would often comment on how obedient they were and even asked one girl to refer to him as “my Lord.”
Leedy has been practicing medicine in Florida since 1991, specializing in hospice and palliative care. His victims, sadly, didn’t know who he really was or what he did for a living. He managed to hide his identity during their conversations, often lying or using a black screen while they spoke.
Prosecutors pointed out that everything he instructed these minors to do was harmful, both physically and mentally. He took advantage of their youth and innocence to satisfy his own twisted desires.