8-1-07
Police filed charges of child abuse and welfare fraud against a woman accused of adopting children in order to bilk child welfare out of $2 million dollars. Judith Leekin, who is now 62 years old, could face as much as 190 years in prison if convicted on the 10 counts of child abuse against her.

Authorities believe she adopted the children for a source of income, then abused the kids and used the state money allotted for their care for personal purposes. The child abuse allegations include assertions that she handcuffed the youngsters and held the eleven adopted children captive at her Port St.Lucie home.