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Authorities: Mom Made Child Sick For Unsuccessful Crowdfunding Campaign

munchausen by internet fundraising




A 28-year-old mom from Milano, Texas is in custody this week after authorities say she purposely made her baby sick in order to benefit from fundraising campaigns she created for the child.

The Milam County District Attorney’s office says Katelyn Christina Carnline claimed her infant had a rare metabolic condition, however since being removed from Carnline’s custody the child has thrived. Milam County sheriffs opened an investigation after a Child Protective Services report in March found the then 4-month-old appeared to be neglected; deputies tracked down a YouCaring page started by Carnline, which received just two donations totaling $150.

The Milam County investigation also involved a report prepared by medical staff at Dell Children’s Medical Center, where the infant has been seen since December of 2016 for “seizures,” and where a g-tube was implanted based on information provided to the hospital by the infant’s mother.  Hospital medical staff said in their report that “poor weight gain was the direct result of physical neglect by the defendant.” Since the infant’s father took custody in March, the child has gained several pounds and eats normally.

Disturbingly enough, Carnline had been arrested in March for exploitation of a child after she “advertised that one of her other children had cancer and started a benefit for them.” She was booked into the Brazos County Jail on that charge and released the same day after she posted bond. The child did not have any kind of cancer.

We were unable to find any campaigns in Carnline’s name.

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Munchausen by Internet is a real thing.