Lisa subjected her son to unnecessary medical procedures for attention

Lisa Hayden Johnson from Brixham, South Devon, England, gave birth to a premature son in 2001. He nearly died but miraculously pulled through. Lisa did not want her son to be healthy. She had grown quite fond of the sympathy, donations, and attention from other people who felt horrible for the poor boy who had fought so hard for life. They admired Lisa for taking such great care of the boy.

Lisa Loved the Attention

His bedroom was crammed with medical equipment, police describing it "like a scene from Casualty." The boy used a wheelchair to get around and wore dark glasses due to an intolerance to sunlight. Lisa told the world that her son could not eat due to a severe and deathly allergy so needed a feeding tube to eat. He used an oxygen tank to help him breathe. He wore a bright yellow and green hat to school so he could be spotted easily in an emergency.

The community helped Lisa with anything they could. She received cash, cars, cruises and free travel, and lodging, and appeared on national TV and in magazines. Lisa and her son even met Camila, the Duchess of Cornwall. Lisa received state disability benefits for her son. Wellwishers quickly labeled him the "illest child in the country."

Six Years of Faking Illness

This life was all that the boy knew for six years. Only, he was not sick, he was not dying or near-death. Lisa wanted the money, the fame, and attention and faked the illnesses. She often bullied doctors and nurses, stating she was a nurse and threatening to sue them on numerous occasions. She was so convincing, not even her husband suspected her of deception.

She claimed that her son was stricken with diabetes, cerebral palsy, a neurological condition, a metabolic disorder, cystic fibrosis, food allergies, and intolerance to sunlight.

Six years passed before doctors finally found the boy's lack of symptoms oddly strange and suspected that he was not sick at all. They demanded Lisa bring in her son for additional testing to confirm the presence of these conditions. Lisa responded by making false sexual assault claims against the hospital staff. Her only intention was to delay testing as long as possible.

Neighbors, Doctors Grow Suspicious

Neighbors had long been suspicious of Lisa and believed that she was faking her son's illnesses. They saw the boy running around the yard playing, eating ice cream, and otherwise acting like any other normal child. They never spoke up, however, because they did not feel like anyone would take them seriously. The child had been declared the "illest boy in Britain," after all.

Once doctors performed tests, they learned he was not sick. Instead, he was a healthy, happy six-year-old boy. They notified the police who began an investigation. Police found several pieces of evidence, including a holiday video showing the boy running around in swim trunks during a cruise and photos of him eating burgers and pudding. Lisa claimed he could not keep solid food down.

The illnesses were allies made up by Lisa to garner attention, money, and fame. Doctors learned that she had spiked her son's urine with glucose so that it appeared he was sick.

Lisa Sentenced to Prison

Lisa admitted to faking her son's illnesses. She was sentenced to three years and three months in prison in 2009 on charges of child cruelty and perverting the course of justice. for the six-year crime spree.

Why Did Lisa Fake Illnesses?

Lisa suffers from a condition called Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy. People with this condition falsify illnesses or exaggerate an illness to garner sympathy and attention from other people. Most victims are children under 6-years-old since it is more difficult to convince older kids and teens that they are sick. The condition is classified as a psychological disorder in the DSM-5.