Woman Accused of ‘Medical Child Abuse’ by Fabricating Infant Child’s Illness

PARAGOULD, Ark. — A woman faces a felony charge of endangering the welfare of a minor after a probable cause affidavit alleged a strange case of alleged medical child abuse.

The probable cause affidavit says between Sept. 18, 2024, and October 8, 2024, the defendant reported multiple medical events regarding her infant child to local clinics and emergency rooms. On Oct. 8, the child was brought to Arkansas Methodist Medical Center ER and later transferred to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis.

Advertisement
Advertisement

While at Le Bonheur, the defendant reported to hospital staff that the infant child had coughed up blood on Oct. 10, 11, 13, and 17. The defendant also presented photos of the infant covered in blood to hospital staff. The affidavit said throughout the process, multiple procedures were performed on the infant due to what the defendant reported, several of which required the child to be placed under anesthesia.

Hospital staff confirmed the liquid on the child was blood but they noted it “may be coming from an external source (other humans/animals/foods).” Due to the infant child’s age and family history, hospital staff expressed that the child was at “high risk for escalation of injury and further harm through receiving unnecessary medical care as a direct result of her caretaker’s potential fabrication, exaggeration, or induction of an acute illness.” Hospital staff reported their concern that the infant child is a victim of Medical Child Abuse, formerly known as Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, described by WebMD as a psychological disorder marked by attention-seeking behavior from a caregiver through those who are in their care.

On Oct. 28, in a meeting with DHS and Crimes Against Children Division investigators, the defendant admitted to lying about some of the events, the probable cause affidavit said. The defendant reportedly admitted the blood on the child had come from the defendant.

On Oct. 29, during a Mirandized interview, the defendant made incriminating statements about the above-mentioned incidents, according to the affidavit.

Madison Gage, 19, of Paragould, faces a first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor charge, a Class D felony.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.