An Allegheny County Jail inmate and his girlfriend face child abuse charges that stem from a video call in which the couple’s toddler daughter was seen on the bed during a sexually explicit call between the two.
Allegheny County Police began investigating after jail officials noted “disturbing behaviors” in a recording of the video visit, which happened shortly before noon Tuesday between Justin Henderson, 27, and Natika Maddox, 23.
In the video call, which participants are notified is recorded, Maddox is seen nude from the waist down on a bed with the couple’s 22-month-old child crawling on her leg, according to the complaint. Investigators wrote that Maddox is heard telling the girl to get off of her and “get out of there.”
The couple traded sexual remarks, and Henderson joked about the toddler’s proximity to mother, according to the complaint. Investigators wrote that the child was seen on the bed as Maddox performed solo sex acts for Henderson.
Police alleged Maddox “interacted with the child,” and the criminal complaint indicates that she commented on how strange it was that the girl was on her, at one point saying, “Get off of me, you’re not a doctor.”
Police said Henderson was in a common area of his housing unit during the video visit, and voices could be heard in the background.
Both are charged with a subsection of sexual abuse of children as it relates to filming or photographing them. The charge alleges the couple allowed the toddler “to engage in a prohibited sex act or in the simulation of one” and knew the act would be “photographed, videotaped, depicted on computer or filmed.”
They are also charged with criminal communications, a felony, and corruption of minor, a misdemeanor. Maddox faces an additional misdemeanor count of indecent exposure. She was arraigned Wednesday and released on her own recognizance.
Neither Henderson nor Maddox were listed as having attorneys as of Thursday afternoon.
