FLORENCE — A Lauderdale County woman is facing multiple child pornography charges in connection to an investigation that originated in Madison County, officials said.

Patricia Allana Edmon Ayers, 32, 1801 Lauderdale 298, Florence, is charged with five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of production of child pornography.

Officials said Ayers is accused of having nude photos of a local 7-year-old girl on her computer.

Lauderdale County Sheriff Ronnie Willis said the arrest is the result of the combined effort of his department and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigator Richard Richey said the investigation began in Madison County after photos were discovered on a laptop.

“A person who lived in Madison County happened to get these pornographic photos by accident while downloading something from Ayers’ computer,” Richey said. “Once they realized what they had downloaded, they contacted the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.”

Richey said Ayers was charged with five counts because that was the number of photos discovered on the computer in Madison County.

Investigator Brent Patterson, a public relations officer with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office,
said investigators with the two departments went to Ayers’ residence Thursday after they received the information of the possible child pornography and production.

“We seized computers, flash drives, digital cameras, cellphones and other electronics,” Lauderdale County Chief Investigator Travis Clemmons said.

He said the equipment recovered from Ayers’ house will be turned over to the Alabama Department of Forensics for examination.

Clemmons said evidence discovered at the residence indicated the nude photos of the child were made in Ayers’ home.

Authorities said the photos appear to have been taken in Ayers’ bedroom, with the child, who is now 8 years old, posing in the nude on her bed.

Investigators said Ayers admitted to taking the photos.

“(Ayers) said the girl at one point had a rash on her arms and her back, and that she took the photos to show that the rash was gone,” Richey said. “My question is why take this type of photos of the child to just show a rash was gone from her arms and back?”

Officials said the photos showed more than the child’s back and arms.

Richey said Ayers faces more charges if more nude photos of children are found on the computers and cameras that were taken from her residence.

Richey said this isn’t the first case the department has worked on that involved local children.

“We had have one in the past, but it’s rare, thank goodness,” he said.

Ayers is being held in the Lauderdale County Detention Center on bail of $150,000.

Production of child pornography is a Class B felony and is punishable by 2-20 years in prison if convicted.

Possession of child pornography is a Class C felony which is punishable by 1-10 years in prison, if found guilty.

Tom Smith can be reached at 256-740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.