Christian school teacher accused of using AI to make child porn in Florida
A Christian school teacher is accused of using artificial intelligence to make child pornography in Florida.
David Robert McKeown also shared child sexual abuse images while connected to the Wi-Fi at United Brethren in Christ Academy in Holly Hill, where he taught sixth grade, state officials wrote June 20 in news releases.
'He spent parts of the school day sending and receiving child sex abuse material and providing other pedophiles with UBIC Academy students' personal information,' Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a release. 'What he did is beyond betrayal — it's devastating and sick.'
An attorney believed to be representing 47-year-old McKeown didn't immediately respond to McClatchy News' requests for comment on June 27. UBIC Academy in a Facebook post said it was aware of the teacher's arrest.
'We are shocked and deeply grieved by the serious allegations of misconduct against him,' wrote Don Ross, school board chair. 'Our employment relationship with David McKeown has been terminated, and we are cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities.'
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said McKeown was arrested and booked into the Volusia County jail. He has been charged with '19 felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and six felony counts of sexually abusing animals,' according to state officials and online records.
The Holly Hill Police Department in a news release said it launched an investigation in early June. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children reached out with a tip about an online account, later linked to McKeown, according to state officials.
'Law enforcement believes he utilized artificial intelligence technology to create (child sexual abuse material) with real children, some of whom may have attended UBIC Academy,' the attorney general's office wrote. 'Initial search warrants revealed that McKeown was disseminating, downloading, and communicating with users on Discord — a popular group chat service — during school hours and while connected to the UBIC Academy Wi-Fi.'
The messages included 19 photos of child sexual abuse material and 'nine images of himself engaging in sexual acts with the family pet,' according to the attorney general's office.
Devices were seized from the school and the teacher's home, and an investigation was ongoing as of June 20, officials said. McClatchy News reached out to state officials and police for more information about the case and is awaiting a response.
Anyone who believes their child could have been tied to the case is asked to reach out to Victim Advocate Coordinator Daisy Gonzalez at 386-248-9435. Tips also can be shared with Detective Cpl. Kelsey Palm at 386-492-0415 or kpalm@hollyhillpd.org.
Holly Hill is in the Daytona Beach area, a roughly 60-mile drive northeast from Orlando.
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