Mum Allegedly Starved Baby Daughter and Used Her to Raise Over $15,000 Through GoFundMe

A mother has faced court accused of starving her now 14-month-old girl and used the girl’s plight to raise more than $15,000 through GoFundMe.

The 27-year-old mother-of-four, from Brisbane, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday, charged with torture, grievous bodily harm and fraud, after she allegedly starved her baby almost to death.

Her baby girl was found in such a malnourished state when she was admitted to Lady Cilento Hospital in July, diagnosed with an “induced illness” that the staff said had been going on for several months. Doctors even thought she will not survive. She was hospitalised for a month and had to be fed through a drip.

The baby was treated with intravenous fluids for nutrients and protein before being released from hospital on August 1. Thankfully, she has since gained 50 per cent of her body weight.

It was also alleged that her mother, who has three older children, aged six, five and three, set up a GoFundMe page using her baby’s condition to raise over $15,000.

Donors were told that the baby girl was not putting on weight, despite feeding her often, with even a 24-hour, high-calorie intravenous drip.

However, police alleged that the mother was not properly feeding her daughter or giving her adequate nutrition.

In the GoFundMe page that has now been taken down, the mother posted photos of the girl lying in a hospital bed in February and wrote that the doctors could not determine the cause why she was so malnourished.

“Sadly though the doctors still have no answers for us, still no cure, all we can do at the moment is medically treat her as things occur and just take it one day at a time.

“We haven’t given up on hope, but it’s the unknown and not knowing how long we will have her with us which is the hardest to deal with.

“Words can’t describe how grateful (sic) we are in the generosity everyone has shown in helping our family through this difficult time,” she wrote.

The mother describes herself as a full-time stay-at-home parent. She claims she suffered from bulimia since she was a teenager, and has also been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. She also claims that her children’s father was physically and mentally abusive towards her and that one of her children was conceived when he sexually assaulted her.

It was heard that her abuse was only towards her youngest child and she is believed to have taken care of her other children.

In a letter to the court, her doctor said she now wants to have more contact with her baby to try and bond with her.

It’s understood that the matter was referred to the Department of Child Safety.

As a result of the abuse, the baby’s speech and motor skills have been impaired, and it is feared that she may suffer from cognitive or neurological abilities and other lifelong problems. She is now in the care of her maternal grandmother and said to be doing well.

The mother denied any involvement in restricting her child’s diet. She was granted bail to reappear on December 12.

Source: Essentialbaby.com.au and Kidspot.com.au