Florida doctor ‘forced young girls to film sadistic sex acts that led to one child’s horrific death’

A Florida doctor is facing charges for producing child sexual abuse content after he allegedly forced young girls to film sadistic sex acts. 

In one tragic case a 13-year-old girl died after Stephen Andrew Leedy, a palliative care doctor in the Tampa Bay area, reportedly told her how to hang herself.

The girl was found dead on November 2021 after hanging herself in front of her phone. 

Following a search of her cellphone, police discovered an exchange of messages between the child and a person under the username ‘maximumuncle#9112’.

It was later determined that this user was Leedy and in shocking messages he told the girl to to produce child sexual abuse material and choke herself, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

An investigation of the 59-year-old’s account allegedly revealed multiple exchanges with approximately ten other minors where he instructed them to produce child pornography and self-harm by cutting and choking themselves. 

The motion stated that Leedy revealed his true identity to the victims after he spoke to them over video chat while concealing his face on a blank screen.  

Prosecutors wrote: ‘Everything that Leedy instructed these minor victims to do was either physically or mentally detrimental to the minor victims.

Leedy’s $1.1m home in St Petersburg, Florida, is pictured. He faces life in jail if convicted of the crimes he’s charged of 

Leedy’s wife Lynda, pictured, holds a senior role at Pinellas County, but there is no suggestion she was aware of her husband’s alleged crimes 

‘He had absolutely no (regard) for their safety and took advantage of children more than half his age to gratify himself.’

The Tampa Bay Times reported that Leedy’s medical license with the Florida Department of Health reflects no disciplinary history and says he has staff privileges at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

He is facing three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and two counts of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted on all counts, Leedy faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

Leedy lived in a gorgeous $1.1 million home close to St Petersburg beach with wife Lynda and the couple’s son.  

Lynda has been the chief administrative officer for Pinellas County’s juvenile welfare board for the last 10 years. 

Her husband’s arrest was a ‘complete shock’ to her, according to a statement issued by Pinellas County on Tuesday morning. 

Pinellas County CEO Beth Houghton said she was ‘stunned and saddened’ for Lynda and that she has the ‘utmost confidence’ that she can carry on her role as before. 

Houghton said Lynda did not work with children and was required to complete a stringent background check before her hire, further underlining that she knew nothing about her husband’s alleged crimes.

The statement concluded: ‘During this challenging time, we ask for grace, empathy, and privacy for Ms. Leedy and her family.’