A report by Metro UK has revealed that a mother forced her two
children to use wheelchairs and faked their illnesses for years, a court
has heard.
children to use wheelchairs and faked their illnesses for years, a court
has heard.
The mother, who has not been identified, exaggerated the symptoms
of her nine-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter, leading to them ‘unnecessarily’ spending a lot of time at hospital, a family court judge said.
of her nine-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter, leading to them ‘unnecessarily’ spending a lot of time at hospital, a family court judge said.
Judge Vera Mayer also said a social worker who worked on the
family’s case for six years had demonstrated ‘alarming ineptitude’ after
failing to raise ‘clear and obvious concerns’ about the children.
family’s case for six years had demonstrated ‘alarming ineptitude’ after
failing to raise ‘clear and obvious concerns’ about the children.
The judge had raised concerns in rulings recently published after private hearings in a family court in Barnet, north London.
Though not identifying the children, Judge Mayer said Barnet Council was the local authority involved.
She said: ‘The local authority neglected this case and this
family, and the social worker, who was allocated for six years,
demonstrated alarming ineptitude in the face of clear and obvious
concerns expressed by many over a long period.’
family, and the social worker, who was allocated for six years,
demonstrated alarming ineptitude in the face of clear and obvious
concerns expressed by many over a long period.’
‘A number of opportunities to intervene and spare the children unnecessary medical intervention have been missed.’
She added: ‘The mother fabricated and exaggerated symptoms in respect of both children. She has done this throughout the children’s lives.
‘She gave untruthful information to persons in the medical
profession, and to those involved with the children in the course of
their education/care.
profession, and to those involved with the children in the course of
their education/care.
‘Consequently, the children were subjected to a great number of
unnecessary medical appointments, unnecessary attendances at A&E,
unnecessary journeys in ambulances and, at times, to unnecessary
admissions to hospital.
unnecessary medical appointments, unnecessary attendances at A&E,
unnecessary journeys in ambulances and, at times, to unnecessary
admissions to hospital.
‘Both children were unnecessarily medicated. They were both unnecessarily immobilised by spending time in wheelchairs.’
A psychiatrist said evidence suggested the children’s mother had
mental health difficulties which led her to invent illness or become
anxious about illnesses which did not exist, said the judge.
mental health difficulties which led her to invent illness or become
anxious about illnesses which did not exist, said the judge.
The specialist had said the woman might be suffering from factitious disorder or somatic symptom disorder.
Judge Mayer said the children’s father had thought their mother had been telling the truth.
The judge concluded the children could no longer live with their
parents and should go into council care and be looked after by foster
carers.
parents and should go into council care and be looked after by foster
carers.