A 34-year-old Queensland woman has been arrested and charged after allegedly poisoning a one-year-old girl and posting videos of her in what police describe as “immense distress and pain” to solicit donations and build an online following.
Police laid charges, including torture, against the Sunshine Coast woman on Thursday, on the back of what they said were extensive investigations after concerns were raised by medical staff from a hospital in Brisbane’s south.
Investigators allege the poisoning occurred between 6 August and 15 October, when the woman administered several unauthorised prescription and pharmacy medicines to the girl, who was known to her, without medical approval.
“While the child was being subject to immense distress and pain, it is alleged the woman filmed and posted videos of the child,” a police statement reads.
“It is alleged the content produced exploited the child and was used to entice monetary donations and online followers.”
Det Insp Paul Dalton told press on Thursday afternoon that the child was being treated “for a genuine, serious health reason” – but that the nature of her illness changed when it is alleged she began to be deliberately poisoned.
During the period of her hospitalisation, it is alleged videos of the girl were posted on social media by the woman on an account said have garnered more than 1 million followers that has now been deleted.
Dalton said the social media attention had helped raise more than $60,000 on a fundraising site, which the platform was seeking to refund.
The officer said police would allege that money and the building of a social media profile were motives.
He said the effects of this alleged attention-seeking fraud were potentially life-threatening, with the child – whose physical health has now improved – becoming “gravely ill” to the point she could have died.
“The [medical] experts have described that the child would have been going through severe emotional and physical distress and harm,” he alleged.
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Police allege the woman disregarded medical advice and “went to lengths to obtain unauthorised medicines, including old medicines for a different person available in their home”.
She was then alleged to have “carefully concealed her continued efforts to administer the unauthorised medicines” until medical staff reported the suspected poisoning to detectives on 15 October.
Police took “immediate action to protect the child” and launched their investigation.
The woman was arrested in Underwood on Thursday morning and 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.
Dalton warned that the consequences of the allegations, if proven in court, could be “quite severe”, with torture carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years and making child exploitation material 20 years.
The woman is expected to face court on Friday.
