GALESBURG, Illinois – Tonight a Quad City area soldier is in Afghanistan being forced to stay to face charges connected to pictures his mother sent to him. The mother says the pictures were designed to ease the homesickness of life on the warfront but she had no idea they would lead to a child pornography investigation and months of wondering whether the accusations would bring charges.
The child is a relative whom the family says Billy treated as his own child when the girl was diagnosed with cancer as her father went through boot camp. Her father told us he can’t believe the charges, especially since they’re on other family computers and on Facebook pages and no one else has been investigated.
"I feel he is a prisoner of something I sent to him", said Terri, "and I can’t do nothing for him."
The Army says Billy will stay in Afghanistan until he faces court martial or there are other recommendations. The family is worried for Billy’s mental health. They’ve noticed changes that they blame on the months of not knowing and spending nearly 17 months in Afghanistan. They hope he can receive the help he needs soon and hope it comes on American soil.
WQAD.com reports.