Mother convicted in son's murder (obviously very sad)

[CheerfulYank]

I don't know if it's been covered much in your news but it was all over ours for a bit and it really on my mind.

Simple intro here. Basically a Munchausen by proxy situation, I suppose.

So awful. Poor boy. I just don't understand how it was missed, when you read up on the case. However I suppose she did very much present that doting, alternative mother type persona, and who'd have believed it of her? :(

very sad

mbp was not mentioned at the trial though. it is a controversial theory.

i hope the evidence was clear cut, anyway.

I think because if the defense had used it, they'd have been admitting guilt when they were hoping to get her off. And if the prosecution had used it, there'd be the chance of her getting off by reason of insanity.

Having read further into it, it's definitely very strange. Things like blogging about how sad she was to be without her fiancee who had apparently died, talking about going to his memorial service etc... when he never existed. The little boy's father is alive and well but was never part of his life.

That doesn't make her a murderer of course. But I think the evidence (doctors telling her there was no way his body could be producing that amount of sodium, her asking a friend to dispose of the feeding bag, her insistence on keeping in a feeding tube he did not need) does speak to her guilt. I do wonder if she meant to kill him, though.

yes, its just that there have been other salt poisoning cases that have later been overturned. but i havent read the case, just that link

www3.aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/new-name-munchausen-syndrome-proxy-defining-fabric#update

this seems quite a good summary of 'munchausens by proxy'
in the uk we are very wary now of the label because of a series of miscarriages of justice, mostly sids related. that is not to say that parents do not cause harm to their child, just that it is not a psychiatric disorder mbp that causes them to do so.