A shocking case has unfolded in a Brisbane court, where a 34-year-old social media influencer has been accused of filming the torture of a baby to gain money and online fame.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court wearing a light blue dress and leather-strap sandals, surrounded by two corrective services guards.
The Allegations: Poisoning, Torture, and Child Exploitation
The woman has been charged with poisoning, torture, and child exploitation, after allegedly giving a one-year-old child unauthorized prescription and pharmacy medications between August and October 2024.
The prosecution claims that she did this to grow her social media profile and gain $60,000 in donations.
The Crown prosecutor, Jack Scott, opposed bail, stating that the woman had moved a video camera monitoring the child during a brain activity test “to avoid detection”.
The Prosecution’s Case: “Torturing Her Own Child”
Scott said, “The prosecution case is in essence that she was torturing her own child with the administering of non-prescribed medicines.”
The woman was seen on video on October 3, 2024, “fiddling with the nasogastric tube” attached to the child, and administering medication via the tube while hidden by a blanket.
This allegedly caused the child to become unconscious about 30 to 40 minutes later.
The Consequences: Life-Threatening Complications and Brain Surgery
The child exploitation material charge is related to videos allegedly found on the woman’s phone, which caused life-threatening complications for the child.
The prosecutor stated, “This child would not have faced (two rounds of brain) surgeries at this point in time but for this manufacturing of symptoms.”
The child has been diagnosed with benign tumors in multiple organs and has begun to suffer seizures.
The Defence: Bail Conditions Can Be Met
The defence solicitor, Mathew Cuskelly, submitted that his client had never been found guilty of any crime and was facing a court case that might last two or three years.
Cuskelly argued that the prosecution case might appear strong, but further investigation might show otherwise, and that the risks of granting bail could be sufficiently ameliorated.
The Magistrate’s Decision: Adjourned to Tomorrow
The magistrate, Stephen Courtney, said that he would not be able to come to a decision today due to the complexity of the allegations.
The bail application was adjourned to tomorrow, as the court struggles to come to terms with the shocking accusations against the social media influencer.