Woman Charged With Poisoning 1-Year-Old Girl & Exploiting Her Illness for Donations

An Australian woman faces charges on multiple counts of poisoning a 1-year-old girl. Police allege she was giving the child a variety of medications intentionally, knowing they were making her sick. This reportedly went on over the course of several months, unbeknownst to those who knew the woman.

At the same time, the woman was soliciting donations from people for the girl’s treatment. She made thousands of dollars through the alleged scam.

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The woman, who was not named by police, was arrested earlier this week. The 34-year-old reportedly gave the 1-year-old “several unauthorized prescription and pharmacy medicines” between August 6 and October 15, 2024, the Queensland Police Service wrote in a news release. The woman knows the girl, but no details were given about their relationship.

Police claim the woman “went to lengths” to obtain these medications, which included “old medicines” for another person who lived in the same home. They also stated that she “carefully concealed” her efforts to continue giving the child medications.

The child was brought to the hospital in October, prompting doctors to raise concerns. During the time the girl was in the hospital, the woman allegedly tried to give her the unauthorized medications.

A January 7, 2025, test for the unauthorized medications turned up positive results.

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Additionally, while the baby girl was being subjected to “immense distress and pain,” the woman was filming videos of her and posting them online. According to Detective Inspector Paul Dalton, the she raised the equivalent of $37,300 through GoFundMe donations, BBC News reported.

“[There are] no words for how repulsive offences of this nature are,” Dalton told reporters this week.

Court sentencing
Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock

Police went to the woman’s home this week to arrest her. She has 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.

According to Dalton, the little one is “safe and doing well.”

If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child), or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.