A former physician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is now at the center of a federal investigation due to alarming allegations related to child sexual abuse material. Howard M. Saal, 73, a former geneticist and dysmorphologist, faced federal court this week, accused of possessing a staggering collection of over 153,000 images and 470 videos depicting child pornography. The horrifying nature of this case is underscored by reports that some victims were as young as newborns.
The case began when a Hamilton County Sheriff’s detective, part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, received a cyber tip that traced searches for child pornography back to Saal’s home IP address. According to charging documents, investigators found disturbing images, including one featuring two naked girls estimated to be just 10 years old in explicit conduct.
When authorities executed search warrants, they reportedly uncovered a digital archive filled with atrocious content, much of which involved infants and toddlers subjected to unimaginable abuse. While there is currently no evidence linking these materials to any patients or children associated with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the revelations have ignited a wave of outrage due to Saal’s profession, which involved direct work with children.
Saal faces serious federal charges with minimum sentences of five years and potential prison terms of up to 20 years for each count. If convicted, he is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison. Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey expressed pride in her team’s investigative efforts, stating, “I am incredibly proud of the work of our Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations unit.” She urged anyone who might be a victim to come forward, emphasizing the commitment to seek justice for victims’ families.
FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola echoed these sentiments, noting, “The FBI and our partners will continue to fiercely investigate those who attempt to sexually exploit children.” She acknowledged the effectiveness of law enforcement working collaboratively to address these serious crimes impacting the community.
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