An Oklahoma mom has been charged with two felony counts of physical abuse and neglect of a child after an investigation revealed she lied to numerous doctors regarding her daughter’s medical health.
Alisha Newman, according to a public criminal complaint, took her 10-year-old daughter through at least six states to visit various doctors. According to police, Newman paraded several lies in order to gain unneeded medical procedures for her daughter. The little girl is now at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin where she is receiving treatment for acute renal failure, end-organ damage, and acidosis. Investigators believe the decade long abuse is a result of Newman having Munchausen by proxy.
In 2016, Newman told hospital staff and doctors about several illnesses that plagued her daughter. However, the doctors believed Newman to be lying and hence, an investigation began. The investigation claims to reveal that Newman “routinely provided false or misleading information to medical providers.” This misinformation led the daughter, consequently, to endure several surgeries, IVs, and even pacemakers.
Those who suffer from Munchausen by proxy invent illnesses for those they are caring for. Hulu’s The Act dives deep into the syndrome and explores it’s many complex nuances.
Many people who knew Newman believed she had the illness. Investigators have traced back complaints to Newman’s first pediatrician.
When her daughter was 11-weeks old, Newman claimed her daughter could not tolerate normal feedings. She claimed normal feedings resulted in in vomiting. This led to doctors using a feeding tube on the little girl.
“While in the hospital, [the child] had no issues with feeding or vomiting,” the complaint states.
Newman also claimed her daughter had nervous system dysfunction that caused “hypothermia, hyperthermia, bradycardia, tachycardia, and ‘turning purple.” This is what led to a pacemaker being installed in the little girl.