Motherhood influencer charged with torture, fraud
The Sunshine Coast woman allegedly poisoned her toddler and posted about her illnesses on social media in an effort to attract donations and followers.
A Sunshine Coast motherhood influencer is alleged to have drugged and tortured her toddler over several months for financial gain and to grow her social media following.
The 34-year-old woman – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was arrested on Thursday morning at a property in Logan after a three-month investigation into her one-year-old daughter’s medical treatment and charged with almost a dozen offences.
These included five counts of administering poison with intent to harm, three of preparation to commit crimes with dangerous things, and one count each of torture, making child exploitation material and fraud.
Morningside Child Protection and Investigation Unit Detective Inspector Paul Dalton told reporters it was alleged the woman’s conduct stemmed from a “horrendous” pursuit for social media clout.
“We believe that the person we have charged has administered these drugs, this poison, to increase that person’s social media profile and views and thereby obtaining a financial benefit,” he said
Police will allege the woman initially took the girl to hospital for a genuine medical reason but, over three months between August 6 and October 15 last year, had administered several unauthorised prescription and pharmacy medicines without doctor’s approval. She is alleged to have gone to “lengths” to obtain the medications, which included taking old prescriptions for a different person.
During this period, the woman posted images and videos of the child to her TikTok and Instagram accounts, where she had a significant following.
Insp Dalton said that had the alleged drugging continued, the girl would have been gravely ill and potentially have passed away.
“Experts have described that the child would have been going through severe emotional and physical distress at harm,” Insp Dalton said.
“There is no excuse for hurting a child, particularly one so young that is totally dependent on adults to care for and love for them.”
In the social media posts, the woman claimed the child had suffered a 100-day coma, and that by October, she had been placed into palliative care. Footage was shared of the girl with a nasal feeding tube, a shaved scalp, and staples in her head.
The woman is alleged to have concealed her efforts to give her daughter the medications from medical professionals at Queensland Children’s Hospital.
Hospital staff ultimately reported concerns of harm to detectives on October 15. Police testing for alleged unauthorised medicines returned a positive result on January 7.
The social media accounts formed a large part of the investigation. Police do not believe the child father was involved in the alleged drugging.
Authorities are also investigating more than $60,000 of donations to the family via fundraising site GoFundMe between August 8 and October 15, with the woman also charged with fraud. Police have urged anybody else who may have donated to the family to come forward.
Insp. Dalton thanked the medical staff for their awareness. He also noted that investigations did not suggest the allegations amounted to Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychological disorder in which a caregiver allegedly deliberately harms a child and presents them as sick.
“I think it’s important to note that the hospital staff must be extremely distressed and anxious about what happened here,” he said.
“They’ve done nothing wrong at all.”
The woman will appear before Brisbane’s Magistrates Court on Friday.
Under Queensland laws, the woman cannot be identified at risk of violating the child’s privacy. The maximum penalty in the state for torture is 14 years jail, while the charge of making child exploitation material carries up to 20 years.