The parents of a six-year-old boy have been accused of faking a cancer diagnosis, including shaving his head and eyebrows, to raise money for fake treatment.
A man and woman, both aged 44, have been charged with criminal negligence and deception for pulling off a $60,000 fraud after putting their son in a wheelchair to simulate radiotherapy treatment.
The Adelaide couple allegedly asked for donations through a GoFundMe page and the child’s school.
Acting Assistant Commissioner John DeCandia said he “couldn’t think of a more deviant and cruel plan that parents did to their son” in relation to the allegations.
“It is abominable that he would” [allegedly] they seek the benefit of their own greed and strife from such an insidious condition as cancer which has impacted so many families in our community,” he said.
The matter was reported to the police on November 26 and the Family Investigation Section and the Western District worked with the Department of Child Protection, the school and Child Protection Services.
DeCandia said daily risk assessments were made for the short-term safety of the boy and the couple’s other child, a girl between the ages of six and 12.
“It is said that the accused shaved the six-year-old boy’s head, eyebrows and put them in a wheelchair with bandages to imitate stereotactic radiotherapy treatment,” he said.
“Our investigation has confirmed that the child is not seeking medical treatment. We believe that this playful illness is causing great and serious psychological harm to the child and his brother.
Children removed from parental custody with a relatively short period of time to provide care.
“You’re going to need ongoing support for a child who initially thinks you’ve got cancer, and it’s not good, it’s pretty devastating,” DeCandia said.
The man and woman refused police bail and are due to appear in Port Adelaide court on Friday afternoon.