Aussie social media influencer accused of drugging own child granted bail

An Aussie social media influencer accused of drugging her own baby and fundraising online to cover medical bills has learned whether her bail bid was successful.

An Australian social media influencer who allegedly drugged her one-year-old child causing her to have emergency surgery has been granted bail.

The Sunshine Coast woman, 34, was arrested on January 16 following a protracted Queensland Police investigation into allegations the woman’s one-year-old daughter was given medications against the advice of medical professionals.

The Sunshine Coast mum was charged with drugging her own baby. Picture: QLD Police.

The woman – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was charged with five counts of administering poison with intent to harm, three counts of preparation to commit crimes with dangerous things and one count each of torture, making child exploitation material and fraud.

Police will allege in court the mother had administered five different “unauthorised” prescription and pharmacy medications to her one-year-old child without medical approval between August 6 and October 16, 2024.

The woman was granted bail in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Magistrate Magistrate Stephen Courtney ordered the woman follow strict conditions on bail, including not being allowed within 100m of the child she’s accused of drugging.

The woman is allowed to have contact with the child but only via video audio link and those meetings must be supervised by the relevant authorities.

In granting bail, Mr Courtney asked the woman – who was appearing via video link – whether she “absolutely understood” the strict conditions.

Mr Courtney said police had “robustly” resisted her bail and that they will be keeping “an eye on you” and if they see “any hint of these conditions being breached, you’ll be absolutely sitting in custody” until the matter goes to trial.

She allegedly gave her child unauthorised medication. Picture: QLD Police.

The woman repeatedly told the court “yes, I understand” while Mr Courtney addressed her before granting bail.

The woman must also not contact any witnesses involved in the case.

The only exception would be if she needed to contact the child’s father, which must only be done through legal representation.

The court was told the woman had allegedly been caught on camera in the hospital – where her child was being treated for a pre-existing medical condition – administering the drug Carbamazepine while concealing her actions under a blanket.

It will be further alleged this medication had previously been prescribed to the child but doctors stopped the medication after she continued to have adverse effects, including seizures.

Police will allege in court the woman went to lengths to obtain the medicines, including sourcing old ones meant for a different person inside the home in order to continue to administer the drugs to her child.

She allegedly gave her child unauthorised medication. Picture: QLD Police.

Mr Courtney said the evidence against the woman alleges she continued to harm her child by administering the medications in defiance of medical advice for “financial gain or social media recognition or both”.

“That alleged conduct is clearly offensive to any right thinking person, but the community anger triggered by the allegations is not directly relevant to the question of bail,” Mr Courtney said.

The court was told the child had suffered significant medical episodes, including seizures, periods of unexplained altered consciousness, abnormal heart rhythms and a cardiac arrest between August and October 2024.

Doctors performed two operations on the child after she continued to have seizures that were not typical to her medical condition or medications she was prescribed.

The court was told a drug test was performed on the child in October, which police will allege found traces of medications the child was not prescribed.

The court was told that upon review, the woman was seen moving a camera away from her child as she lay in hospital for observation.

It’s further alleged the woman administered the drug Carbamazepine using a syringe during this time.

Police will allege the woman filmed her child to entice monetary donations and online followers.

The court was told the fundraising efforts had raised $60,000 from August to October.

The matter will be mentioned again on February 19.