WESH 2 News pubilshed March 6, 2024: Officials: St. Cloud father and son sexually abused neighborhood kids, created child pornography.
WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando pubilshed March 6, 2024: Federal agents investigate child porn accusations out of St. Cloud home. Henry Cox, one of two men being investigated in St. Cloud amid accusations involving their alleged production and handling of child pornography, shot and killed himself before a federal arrest warrant could be served Tuesday morning, according to the St. Cloud Police Department..
Fox35 News, Orlando, Fl local
written by Pattrik Perez
Wednesday March 6, 2024
ST. CLOUD, Fla. - A St. Cloud neighborhood is reeling from disturbing allegations about a father and son’s actions behind closed doors.
Federal investigators have accused 79-year-old James Cox, known to some neighbors as "Santa," of possessing hundreds of child pornography images and several videos on his computer. His son, Henry Cox, was also accused of recording pornographic videos with at least two neighborhood children inside his bedroom at their home along Countryside View Drive.
Richard Passafune, a resident of the area for 20 years, couldn't believe the news.
"It’s very disturbing and sickening," he said. "I mean, there’s kids all over."
Court documents reveal that some of the videos Henry Cox is accused of recording were also taken in a public bathroom. However, investigators have not disclosed the exact location, and it's possible they may never get those answers. St. Cloud Police say Henry killed himself Tuesday morning before he could be served a federal warrant for his arrest.
The investigation into the two men began in November 2023 when police received a tip that someone, now believed to be James Cox, had uploaded child pornography on a reverse image search engine. He admitted to investigators he did it, according to court documents, because he wanted to find other child pornography.
As of Wednesday evening, he remained in the Seminole County jail where U.S. Marshals took him the day before while he awaits trial.
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WFLA8 NBC News, Tampa, FL local
written by Kaycee Sloan
Wednesday March 6, 2024
ST. CLOUD, Florida — A Florida man known as “Santa” and his son have been accused of sexually abusing children in their neighborhood and creating child pornography after authorities raided their home Tuesday morning.
NBC affiliate WESH said the St. Cloud home was raided as part of a Homeland Security child pornography investigation.
Neighbors said at about 10 a.m., they “saw up to 30 law enforcement officers” from multiple agencies swarm that home that sits just east of Canoe Creek Road.
According to WESH, neighbors reported seeing a body being removed from the home. The Orange County Medical Examiner later confirmed that they had responded to a “death call” at the home.
Federal court records showed that the raid was targeted at 79-year-old James Cox and his eldest son, Henry Cox after authorities received a cyber-tip about child pornography being uploaded from the family’s home.
St. Cloud police said they searched the home in January and found “several hard drives with images and videos of children being sexually abused and exploited,” WESH reported.
Detectives also discovered videos that appeared to have been secretly recorded, showing young children using the restroom and changing clothes. According to WESH, at least two of the victims appeared to be children who lived in the same neighborhood as Cox.
The criminal complaint against James Cox alleged that his son produced some of the pornography, while the 79-year-old uploaded it.
“You just don’t think it’s going to be so close to your house, and having four girls myself, it’s a little unsettling,” Emily Jenkins, who lives nearby, told WESH. “I think it confirms that we can’t be restful and let our kids play outside. It’s always play in the backyard now. It’s not like it used to be.”
James Cox is currently being held in the Seminole County Jail, while St. Cloud police said Henry Cox was found dead from an apparent self-inflected gunshot wound Tuesday.
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