Crime
47-year-old LaTasha Polk killed in New Orleans terror attack
Authorities have identified the final victim of the New Orleans terror attack as LaTasha Polk, a 47-year-old nursing assistant and mother of a teenage son.
LaTasha Polk was described by family members as a dedicated and hard-working nursing assistant who was deeply committed to her 14-year-old son. Family members attending a vigil in her memory shared that Polk lost her life during the tragic attack on Bourbon Street.
While the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office has not yet officially confirmed her identity, family members have publicly honored her, placing a photograph at a makeshift memorial in the French Quarter.
The memorial serves as a poignant reminder of LaTasha’s contributions as both a caregiver in her profession and a devoted mother.
Friends, family, and community members continue to gather at the site to pay their respects and support one another during this difficult time.
Further details about the attack and the ongoing investigation will be shared as they become available.
Crime
St. Petersburg doctor 59-year-old Stephen Andrew Leedy arrested after allegedly instructing young girls to film sex acts while injuring themselves
St. Petersburg, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Stephen Andrew Leedy (59, St. Petersburg) on charges related to the production of child sexual abuse material and coercion of minors to engage in sexual activity.
The Charges:
- Three counts of production of child sexual abuse material
- Two counts of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity
Potential Penalty:
- Life in federal prison, if convicted on all counts
Leedy, a palliative care doctor in the Tampa Bay area, allegedly used the online alias “maximumuncle#9112” to exploit and abuse approximately ten minors.
Through online interactions, Leedy is accused of instructing these minors to produce sexually explicit content and to engage in self-harm, including cutting, choking, and hanging.
Tragically, one of the victims, identified as Minor Victim 1, was found deceased by hanging in November 2021, in a manner consistent with Leedy’s prior instructions.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal wrongdoing, and Leedy is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
This case is the result of a collaborative effort by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the FBI’s Tampa Office, with assistance from the St. Petersburg Police Department, the FBI’s Atlanta Office, and the Holly Springs Police Department.
The prosecution will be handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood 1 unites federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children and to rescue victims.