Florida Doctor Charged with Exploiting Minors and Coercing Self-Harm

Stephen Leedy, a palliative care physician, faces federal charges for directing minors to create explicit content and harm themselves, leading to a 13-year-old's death.

Stephen Andrew Leedy, a 59-year-old palliative care doctor, has been charged with producing child sexual abuse material and coercing minors into explicit acts and self-harm.
Leedy allegedly used the online alias 'maximumuncle#9112' to contact at least 10 minors across the U.S. through video chats and social media messages.
Federal prosecutors accuse Leedy of instructing a 13-year-old girl to hang herself, resulting in her death in November 2021, and directing other minors to engage in dangerous and explicit activities.
Leedy’s defense attorneys have stated he denies the charges and plans to plead not guilty, emphasizing the presumption of innocence.
If convicted, Leedy faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for his alleged crimes, which prosecutors describe as predatory and harmful to vulnerable victims.