Girl in Disney abuse photos speaks out

Todd Jurkowski

LEE COUNTY— The young girl whose haunting image became an international symbol of child pornography is speaking out hoping to put more punishment on the man convicted of abusing her for nearly half her life. The photos, some of which were taken at a Disney resort, launched a worldwide search for the girl. She says her abuser hasn't been held accountable for all of the evil things he did to her.

Mea is a sixth grader who has been through hell.

"When she was in Russia with her parents, she was stabbed in the neck where she still has scars," said Faith, Mea's adoptive mother.

Russian authorities moved Mea to an orphanage.

Then came new hope when an American from Pittsburgh decided to adopt Mea when she was five years old.

But her savior was just another monster. For years, Mea was a virtual slave, forced against her will to have sex.

It didn't stop there. Mea's abuser took sexually explicit photos of her and then sold the photos on the internet. Some of the photos were taken during Orlando vacations.

Two years ago the FBI finally unmasked Mea's monster. In February 2004, a judge sentenced Pittsburgh engineer Matthew Alan Mancuso to 15 years in prison for producing child pornography of his own daughter.

But he has not been tried for raping her.

"I think it's wrong he didn't get charged with half the things he did and I don't think that should happen to anybody," said Mea.

"She's scared for life and her pictures on the internet and they can't be stopped," said Faith.

A few months ago, Mea and Faith packed up and moved hundreds of miles from Pittsburgh.

Now the child who came to symbolize the plight of all victims of child pornographers says she's fine and happy. Scars and all, Mea has walked through fire and found love on the other side.

Mea's adoptive father is scheduled to get out of prison in 2017.

Detectives from the Orlando area believe they can make a case to put him away for life. Seeing how strong Mea is now, they believe she will give excellent testimony in a rape trial.