Mom of 9 realizes babysitter accused of posing as woman online, soliciting nude images of teens
PHILADELPHIA -- A mother says she was shocked to find out the man who has been staying at her home and babysitting her children is accused of posing as a woman online in order to get nude and explicit photos from underage boys.
The mother, who didn't want to be identified, choked back tears Thursday night as she relived the moment she discovered she had left her kids home with a wanted man.
"I was in my client's house. I dropped to the floor, I said, 'I got to go, I got to go,'" the mother said.
She's a mother of nine, works seven days a week, and it was while at work when Brandon Speach's mugshot was aired on TV that she realized her children were home with an alleged criminal.
"I was racing home, calling the cops, telling them what happened and that was the guy that's in my house. He's my nanny. He's my babysitter," the mother said.
Speach is facing sexual abuse charges, among other related charges, for allegedly posing as a woman on social media to solicit nude images of teenage boys.
Detectives say Speach was active online for four years, targeting boys between the ages of 14 and 16.
"He gained my trust because he was working at Duckrey Tanner School," the mother said.
Philadelphia city schools confirmed the 30-year-old worked at Duckrey Tanner Elementary, but through nonprofit EducationWorks.
In a statement, which can be read in full below, the nonprofit tells Action News they're "shocked and deeply troubled" by the allegations and reassured parents "all our employees, even part-time...are required and successfully complete a comprehensive federal and state background check."
Action News approached Speach's grandmother for comment.
"I'm his grandmother and I don't want to talk," she said.
While Speach's family members declined to comment, family friends call the allegations jarring.
"You would never expect it for someone that's from your neighborhood, that you grew up with," Jason Hardy of North Philadelphia said.
"He never did anything to my kids. I question my kids all the time, he never did nothing wrong to my kids," Sonjah Thrower of North Philadelphia said.
The mother of nine said if she could ask Speach a question it would be: Why me?
"Why me? Why me? You had my trust, you had my kids' trust, I never thought it could be you, you never showed me any signs," the mother said.
EducationWorks says Speach has been fired from his position.
He is being held on $250,000 bond.
Full Statement from EducationWorks:
The welfare and safety of the children entrusted to our care is of paramount importance to our organization, and we were shocked and deeply troubled to learn about the details of these allegations.
All of our employees, even part-time employees like the individual in question, are required and have successfully completed a comprehensive federal and state background check before they can work with our children.
We are cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities, but this remains an active investigation and we therefore are unable to discuss the matter in detail. We can confirm that that this individual was a part-time employee with our organization, and that he has since been terminated as a consequence of this investigation.
