Morningside Child Protection and Investigation Unit (CPIU) have charged a woman with torture following extensive investigations into allegations of an infant being poisoned.
It will be alleged between August 6 to October 15, 2024, a 34-year-old Sunshine Coast woman administered several unauthorised prescription and pharmacy medicines to a one-year-old girl, who was known to her, without medical approval.
It will be further alleged the woman, disregarding medical advice, went to lengths to obtain unauthorised medicines, including old medicines for a different person available in their home.
Later investigations are alleged to have uncovered the woman carefully concealed her continued efforts to administer the unauthorised medicines until the matter was detected and reported to police by medical staff from a hospital in Brisbane’s south while the child was admitted.
While the child was being subject to immense distress and pain, it is alleged the woman filmed and posted videos of the child.
It is alleged the content produced exploited the child and was used to entice monetary donations and online followers.
On October 15, 2024, medical staff reported harm against the child to detectives.
Police took immediate action to protect the child while an investigation commenced.
It will be alleged the testing for unauthorised medicines returned a positive result on January 7.
This morning, January 16, Morningside CPIU detectives travelled to an Underwood address to arrest the woman and subsequently charged her 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.
She is expected to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court tomorrow, January 17.
Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said offences of this nature are abhorrent and CPIU detectives are committed to protecting children from harm and holding offenders to account.
“Working in CPIU we are too often faced with the worst offences against children,” he said.
“We will do everything in our power to remove that child from harm’s way and hold any offender to account.
“There is no excuse for harming a child, especially not a one-year-old infant who is reliant on others for care and survival.”
