Aug 2, 2007 12:32 am US/Eastern
Leekin's Biological Son Speaks To CBS 2 HD
Says His Mother Isn't What Some Are Making Her Out To Be
by Scott Weinberger
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS) ―
New details have surfaced on the former Queens woman who is accused of terrorizing her 11 adopted children in what's described as a house of horrors.
For days we've been hearing allegations about the kind of mother Judith Leekin is. Is she capable of torturing her adoptive kids like police suggest? Or is she a loving parent like her lawyer says? We got the answers from the one person who knows best -- her natural son. He spoke exclusively to CBS 2 HD.
"She's a loving caring mom and grandma," the son told CBS 2 HD. "She's done everything for my kids and they love her."
We'll call this man "Joe." He's the biological son of Leekin. He agreed to an interview with CBS 2 HD as long as we hid his identity. He said he can't believe the accusations against his mom.
"I was overwhelmed," "Joe" said. "I had to take a personal day because I couldn't believe it."
Police say Leekin adopted 11 children from four separate New York City agencies in the 1990s. And they allege she held the children like prisoners in her Port St. Lucie home, children that "Joe" calls his brothers and sisters.
"They didn't look at them as foster children," he said. "They looked at them as family."
Instead of being a loving mother she's accused of running a scam, adopting the kids only to collect the money from monthly support checks. According to records, the kids provided the unemployed Leekin more than $2 million.
"I'm her only son," "Joe" said. "You don't see me driving a BMW. I'm renting my apartment. The $2 million I'd love to see."
Police say Leekin abused her children, often binding them together when she left the house. According to a search warrant obtained by CBS 2 HD, when police entered the home they found "handcuffs and zip-ties" and Leekin "admitted using restraints." Despite that, "Joe" says his mom would never hurt the children.
"Abuse is something continuous," he said. "I didn't grow up abused so I don't see how it can transpire into this."
If convicted Leekin could face 160 years in prison. A prosecutor has already said more charges are likely. In the meantime, Leekin remains jailed on $4.5 million bail.
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