VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Volusia County deputies have charged a couple with child abuse after investigators found child pornography on a computer in a filthy house with children inside.
James Leonard was arrested Wednesday morning during a search at his home on Grandview Avenue.
Deputies said they found several disturbing images of children in sexual situations.
Leonard confessed to taking the photos, according to deputies, and his wife, Alexandrea Coats, was charged with failure to reporting child abuse and neglect.
Leonard faces 10 counts of possession of sexual performance of a child charges, three counts of promoting child pornography charges and one of count of child abuse.
Deputies said the house was cluttered with trash, and four children lived in the home. The children's ages ranged from 8 weeks old to 10 years old.
The Department of Children and Families was contacted and took the children into protective custody.
Coats spoke out in court and said she didn't understand why she's being charged with failure to report child abuse.
If I didn't know about anything that was going on, why is that charge on there? If I have failure to report criminal act that I didn't know about why is that charge on there?" she asked.
But the judge said she found enough evidence and stuck with the charges.
A neighbor who lives on the same street said she couldn't believe something like that was going on.
"It's disturbing. Very disturbing," said Cindy Brown. She also said if the couple is found guilty, they should get the harshest punishment.
"I believe in the death penalty so stuff like that is just unacceptable," said Brown.
The couple is unable to have contact with the victims until futher notice.
Coats in in jail on a $50,000 bond and Leonard is in jail on $25,000 bond.
Check back for more on this developing story.