TikTok mum accused of baby torture: Everything we know so far

A Queensland mum allegedly tortured her baby girl for social media clicks – this is everything we know so far.

There’s been twist in the case against a Sunshine Coast TikTok mum.

A Queensland mum is accused of torturing her baby for social media clicks.

She has since been 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.

This is everything we know about the case so far >>>

What is the timeline of events?

In January 2025 the high-profile TikTok mum was charged for allegedly drugging her own baby in an “abhorrent” scheme to gain clicks and money from online content.

Police alleged between August 6 and October 15, 2024, the 34-year-old Sunshine Coast woman administered several unauthorised prescription and pharmacy medicines to her one-year-old daughter, without medical approval.

A high profile TikTok mum has been charged with drugging her own baby. Picture: QLD Police.

It will be further alleged the woman, disregarding medical advice, went to lengths to obtain unauthorised medicines, including old medicines for a different person available in their home.

Later investigations are alleged to have uncovered the woman carefully concealed her continued efforts to administer the unauthorised medicines until the matter was detected and reported to police by medical staff from a hospital in Brisbane’s south while the child was admitted.

On October 15, 2024, medical staff reported what they claimed was harm against the child to detectives.

During an admission at hospital police prosecutor Jack Scott alleged CCTV shows the mother fiddling with the child’s nasogastric tube and is seen with a syringe. It’s alleged she then moved the camera to avoid detection.

In June the case was placed in a special court list for DNA delays.

Who is the mother?

The 34-year-old Sunshine Coast mother cannot be named for legal reasons.

It is alleged the mother filmed and posted footage of the child while in hospital, which was at least initially due to a genuine health reason,

“While the child was being subjected to immense stress and pain, it is alleged the woman filmed and posted footage of the child,” Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said.

The one-year-old girl in January was reported to be “going well” and the woman’s other children were “safe”.

As the mum applied for bail in Brisbane’s Magistrate Court in January, Deputy Chief Magistrate Stephen Courtney summarised the alleged crown case.

“(The child) is now about 18 months. (She) was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that manifested itself with benign tumours in multiple organs. She was prescribed medication, she began to suffer seizures … it was suspected that the medication that she was prescribed was triggering those seizures,” he said.

What has the mum been charged with?

She 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 alleged she administered unprescribed medications to the infant over months for financial gain and social media recognition.

The court has previously heard that the woman had received $60,000 from a GoFundMe campaign – which the online fundraising platform has since refunded.

The woman’s lawyer, Mathew Cuskelly, told Brisbane Magistrates Court on June 23 that he had hired an assistant with a medical background who was reviewing “quite a voluminous amount of medical documentation”.

Mr Cuskelly, whose client was not required in court, sought an eight-week adjournment to review the brief of evidence some of which was provided by the prosecution.

High profile TikTok Sunshine Coast mum charged with drugging her own baby. Picture: QLD Police.

“It is quite a large and complex brief,” he said.

A prosecutor said there was still some material yet to be disclosed including material relating to the DNA testing of a pill seized from a hospital and material relating to an alleged breach of bail investigation.

The court heard the woman had not been charged with a breach of bail.

Her ex-partner had previously claimed she had breached bail in a statement to police.

The ex-partner is not accused of any wrongdoing.

The maximum penalty for torture is 14 years’ jail, and the maximum penalty for making child exploitation material is 20 years.

What have police alleged?

Detective Inspector Paul Dalton in January said investigators would allege the woman’s social media was the motive for the alleged offending.

“Once again I stress this is an allegation, but 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.

“As far as what we will say the result of the administering of the poison, all I can say is a medical episode.

“And the experts have described that the child would have been going through severe emotional and physical distress and harm.”

Inspector Dalton said they found no evidence that the woman had Munchausen syndrome by proxy – a mental illness where a caregiver makes up or exaggerates an illness in a person in their care.

The Sunshine Coast mum with police.

What happened with the GoFundMe?

Insp Dalton said police would allege that the woman raised $60,000 between August 8 and October 15.

“We’ve been dealing with GoFundMe, I understand through my investigators that they are making attempts to repay that money to the people through the kindness of their heart who have donated that money,” he said.

Police are dealing with GoFundMe to repay the people who donated to the woman’s fundraiser.

Originally published as TikTok mum accused of baby torture: Everything we know so far