Sixth-grade teacher downloads and shares child pornography and animal abuse images on Discord using school internet, leading to arrest and 19 charges
Summary
David McKeown, a sixth-grade teacher at UBIC Academy near Daytona Beach, Florida, was arrested after investigators found he had downloaded and shared nearly 30 child pornography and animal abuse images on Discord using the school's internet. Prosecutors allege some AI-generated images may have used photos of real students he taught as source material. The investigation began June 2, 2025, following a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, triggered by McKeown's tracked online activity. He faces 19 charges related to child sexual abuse and animal abuse material, with potential sentences exceeding 300 years. McKeown was fired from his teaching position following his arrest.
Incident Details
Harms involving the exploitation, abuse, or endangerment of minors, including CSAM and grooming.
Child sexual abuse material — the creation, distribution, or possession of such content.
Sources
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