Influencer Who Allegedly 'Tortured' 1-Year-Old by Making Her Sick Gave Medication That Caused Seizures: Prosecutors

Mar. 15, 2025

Brisbane Magistrates Court.Photo:Alex Cimbal/Shutterstock

Alex Cimbal/Shutterstock

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the woman, 34, who hasn’t been named to protect the child’s identity, appeared for her bail hearing in Brisbane Magistrates Court, outlets including theAustralian Associated Press(AAP), theSydney Morning Heraldand theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation(ABC) reported.

“While the child was being subject to immense distress and pain, it is alleged the woman filmed and posted videos of the child,” police said in the release. The alleged abuse occurred between Aug. 6 to Oct. 15, 2024.

A woman in Queensland, Australia, was arrested amid the allegations.Queensland Police

Queensland Police

The suspect raised roughly $60,000 in Australian dollars, or about $37,500 USD, after pocketing donations and gaining social media followers, theBBCpreviously reported. GoFundMe is working to refund the donations, according to the outlet.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the court heard that the now 18-month-old child had been diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis as an infant and suffered from benign tumors, per the ABC.

According to theMayo Clinic. tuberous sclerosis — also called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) — is “an uncommon genetic disorder that causes tumors to develop in many parts of the body. These tumors are not cancer.”

The child was prescribed the drug carbamazepine following her diagnosis, per the ABC, but the treatment was stopped after it was suspected the medication was triggering seizures. The woman still had the prescription for the drug, the outlet reported.

“Carbamazepine is used to treat certain types of seizures (eg, partial seizures, tonic-clonic seizures) and bipolar disorder,” according to theMayo Clinic,

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Crown prosecutor Jack Scott said during the hearing that on Oct. 3, 2024, the suspect had allegedly moved a video camera monitoring the toddler “during a brain activity test” in a bid to “avoid detection” of what she was actually doing, per the AAP.

The prosecutor said “unconscious periods” weren’t symptoms of TSC, according to the AAP. Worried doctors then ended up bringing forward a procedure to remove the tumors.

“This child would not have faced (two rounds of brain) surgeries at this point in time but for this manufacturing of symptoms,” the prosecutor said, per the news agency.

The woman also made admissions about administering the drug to a former partner, according to theSydney Morning Herald.

The woman’s lawyer Mathew Cuskelly is pictured leaving court on Jan. 28, 2025.DARREN ENGLAND/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

DARREN ENGLAND/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Defense attorney Mathew Cuskelly, who is representing the woman, said the child “continues to present symptoms” of seizures, citing an email from health authorities, per the AAP.

“My client is entitled to a fair trial. Police have the onus to establish beyond reasonable doubt,” he said while arguing for bail, insisting that his client hadn’t been found guilty of any crime.

Queensland Police previously said that the mother had been arrested on Jan. 16 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.”

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com