TikTok influencer mum allegedly caught giving child unprescribed meds on camera

A TikTok influencer charged with the torture of her toddler allegedly covertly gave her child epilepsy medication while in hospital against doctors’ orders, a court has heard.

A TikTok influencer charged with torture is facing court.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles.

A one-year-old girl underwent two surgeries in response to symptoms that police allege was caused by drugs covertly being administrated by her TikTok influencer mother, who was allegedly using her daughter’s plight to raise money on social media.

A court heard the 34-year-old woman, who posted motherhood content to her substantial following on social media, was allegedly captured on hospital CCTV giving the toddler the non-prescribed drug Carbamazepine, also known as Tegretol.

She also allegedly admitted to her ex-partner that she gave their one-year-old daughter unprescribed medication.

At the bail hearing at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Queensland police prosecutor Jack Scott said the October video allegedly showed the woman with a syringe before she attempted to move the camera. She then allegedly put the alert and awake toddler on her lap under a blanket and was seen “fiddling” with the child’s nasalgastro tube.

Police alleged that was when the influencer gave the child the medication, and within 40 minutes, the girl was “totally unconscious”.

“We strongly suspect, based upon that camera footage … that on the 3rd of October she administered that drug, and that’s at the time the ex-partner isn’t present,” Mr Scott said.

The epilepsy medication was allegedly prescribed to the child, who had a legitimate genetic illness, at the beginning of her treatment but was discontinued by medical professionals. Police allege the mother had the script filled three further times and continued to give the child the medicine alongside four other unprescribed prescription drugs.

The girl underwent two brain surgeries, the first to remove benign tumours from her brain and a second exploratory procedure.

Mr Scott said the serious procedures could have been done at a later stage had the child not suffered symptoms caused by the non-prescribed drugs.

“(The surgeries) were triggered or brought forward by the other symptoms, which was the direct consequence of the … obtundness, the unconsciousness, displayed by the victim child was deeply concerning to the doctors.”

The woman – who can’t be named for legal reasons – was arrested earlier this month after a three-month investigation into her daughter’s medical treatment. She was charged with 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.

Defence lawyer Mathew Cuskelly said the woman was not suicidal and requested bail with a series of conditions, including the need to report to a police station and only be allowed contact with her children via video and audio.

Mr Scott objected to the application as the woman had administered the medication despite being under constant surveillance, with the mother believing as recently as last week that the daughter had a fatal condition despite doctors’ diagnoses.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Stephen Courtney said he was unable to make a decision on bail at the hearing due to the complexity of the case.

“Globally, it is a strong prosecution case as I sit here now,” Mr Courtney said.

“That might change. I need to be careful, though, not to be overwhelmed by the fact that the allegations are so offensive to right-thinking people that the level of offence, in and of itself, isn’t a factor when considering bail.”

However, he acknowledged the brief of evidence may take months to produce, and that it may take two to three years for the case to progress to trial.

The hearing was adjourned to Wednesday.