Joshua Nair
A 34-year-old influencer has been arrested and charged after being accused of poisoning her little girl in order to attract donations from social media followers.
Police are alleging the mum was filming her one-year-old daughter in 'immense distress and pain'. The Australian woman is said to have then posted the photos to social media, claiming she was updating followers on her daughter's apparent battle with terminal illness.
However, detectives have alleged that she was actually drugging the infant and filming her for her own financial gain.
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Following months of investigation, she was arrested in the city of Logan today (16 January), south of Brisbane.
She has since been charged with torture, administering poison, making child exploitation material and fraud.
The mother has also been accused of defrauding followers of approximately A$60,000 (£30,000) on GoFundMe.
Authorities revealed that the baby could have fallen 'gravely ill' and even died if she had stayed under the woman's care, though it has been reported that the child is now doing well.
Doctors became concerned last October after the baby was admitted to hospital following a serious health episode.
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Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Queensland Police Det Insp Paul Dalton stated: "[There are] no words for how repulsive offences of this nature are."
Police say the woman gave the child numerous prescription and pharmacy medicines without approval between August and October.
Dalton added: “We believe that the person we have charged has administered these drugs, this poison, to increase that person’s social media profile ... and therefore obtaining a financial benefit.”
Police allege the woman went to great efforts to get a hold of the medications and cover her tracks, claiming that she used leftover medicine for someone else in their home.
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Dalton further revealed that the A$60,000 that was allegedly defrauded from her followers was in the process of being repaid by GoFundMe.
He added: “We’ve been dealing with GoFundMe and I understand through my investigators that they are making attempts to repay that money to the people ... who donated that money.”
The woman is due to face Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday (17 January).