A UK woman has been handed a 12-year jail sentence after being found guilty of poisoning her own child, leading to the need for a liver transplant. The Birmingham Crown Court has ruled that the mother deliberately administered paracetamol and codeine to her child both at home and at two different hospitals.
The incident took place on September 9, 2016, when the woman took her child to a walk-in center, stating that they were experiencing a high temperature and difficulty breathing. However, the child’s condition worsened, necessitating their transfer to two separate hospitals for treatment.
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Although the child initially showed signs of improvement, their health rapidly deteriorated, ultimately requiring an urgent liver transplant. Doctors described this situation as “acute, unexpected, and unusual,” according to The Mirror.
Suspicion among doctors arose due to the child’s unusual health patterns, prompting an investigation. Shockingly, it was discovered that the mother had been secretly administering paracetamol and codeine to her child in both hospitals, concealing it from medical professionals, which led to the urgent need for a liver transplant.
Hospital records indicated that the child had been given the maximum recommended doses of paracetamol, and there was no logical explanation for the presence of codeine in their system.
During the investigation, syringes were found in a dustbin near the child’s hospital bed as well as in the mother’s washbag in the hospital room. These syringes contained traces of paracetamol and codeine, leaving no doubt that the mother was responsible for poisoning her child.
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When confronted by doctors, the mother dishonestly denied administering the drugs to her child. However, a forensic examination of her phone uncovered searches related to the effects of co-codamol overdose and a specific brand that she had previously been prescribed for back pain, which contained codeine and paracetamol.
Advanced scientific testing conducted in the USA, which was not available in the UK, confirmed that the child’s liver failure resulted from a significant paracetamol overdose. The analysis also revealed past exposure to codeine and morphine over an extended period.
Despite the child’s previous good health, they had been repeatedly seen by healthcare professionals for exaggerated illnesses, resulting in 15 hospitalizations. The mother also falsely claimed that the child had allergies to milk and nuts, leading to unnecessary allergy tests.
On January 12, the mother was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Birmingham Crown Court.
(Note: This article contains information from various sources.).
