A 27-year-old mother, identified as Jessica, is facing charges for allegedly subjecting her 3-year-old daughter to unnecessary medical procedures, indicative of a suspected case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
Reports suggest that Jessica deceived medical professionals, leading to her daughter undergoing unwarranted procedures, including having her blood drawn 28 times, as detailed in an arrest affidavit from WFFA.
The probe into Jessica’s actions commenced a few months prior, instigated by a doctor from the Children’s Hospital. The doctor became concerned after discovering that Jessica consulted multiple doctors across roughly twelve medical facilities spanning three states, leading to accusations of “doctor shopping.”
In a particular incident in March, the young child was provided a feeding tube, based on Jessica’s claim that the child was experiencing weight loss and was refusing food. Despite sufficient caloric intake, the child’s weight remained stagnant, raising medical suspicions.
Additionally, Jessica reported that her daughter suffered from Ketotic Hypoglycemia, a blood sugar disorder, and on another occasion claimed she had gastroparesis, impacting stomach emptying. These diagnoses were later dismissed by several doctors, as per Fox 4 News.
The affidavit also mentions Jessica’s active GoFundMe campaign for her daughter’s medical treatments and her frequent updates on social media platforms, specifically TikTok, where she amassed 24,000 followers. She regularly updated this audience on her child’s health journey.
Evidence also indicates that Jessica contemplated erasing all online traces regarding her daughter’s health. Fortunately, following a period apart from Jessica, the child’s condition has markedly improved, as mentioned in the affidavit.
