Neighborhood horrified and disgusted after child porn is found in daycare

The Beary Patch Daycare in Mexia, Central Texas, has been shut down after police and Secret Service agents stormed the home daycare after receiving a federal search warrant and seized bags of child pornography. Photo via screen capture from KXXV News Channel 25

The Beary Patch Daycare in Mexia, Central Texas, has been shut down after police and Secret Service agents stormed the home daycare after receiving a federal search warrant and seized bags of child pornography.

According to KXXV News Channel 25, authorities also removed three computers, external hard drives, and several discs from the home daycare on 912 Bowie Street.

Elmer Gene Ballou, 46, the owner of the home and operator of the daycare, was arrested on Thursday, reports KXXV and KWTX News 10.

Some of Ballou’s horrified neighbors witnessed the bust, and told KXXV that they saw authorities removing what appeared to be bags of CDs from the home.

According to a report by KXXV, there was what seemed to be a consensus amoung Ballou’s neighbors that he was strange and secretive, but that they were shocked and couldn’t believe such a crime had been going on in their backyards.

KXXV reports that there was a sign hanging on the Ballou door that said, “due to a family emergency, the daycare was closed.”

According to online state records, the daycare has been licensed since October 2004, reports KWTX.

Ballou was transported by secret service agents to the McLennan County jail, reports KXXV.

Sources:  KXXV News Channel 25, KWTX News 10