Perth mother charged after allegedly pouring bleach down her baby son's feeding tube
A Perth mother has been charged over allegedly pouring bleach down her chronically ill baby son's feeding tube.
Brooke Evelyn Lucas, 26, faced court on Perth on Saturday, charged with unlawful intent to kill or endanger human life, Nine News has reported.
Detectives from the Child Abuse Squad say she attempted to poison her 13-month-old son, William, on December 29, just five days after he was discharged from the Perth Children's Hospital.
William was born 14 weeks premature and suffers from Pierre Robin syndrome, a condition which affects a baby's ability to breath and eat, requiring 24-hour care.
He was rushed to the Perth Children's Hospital to be treated for poisoning, however, he has since been discharged.
Ms Lucas was reportedly inconsolable when facing court and will remain in custody until she appears again on Monday.
Baby William has spent his life in and out of hospital and Ms Lucas regularly posted updates on his condition to social media.
On Christmas Eve Ms Lucas wrote that William was being discharged from hospital, calling it a "Christmas miracle".
"I am in tears after he was so sick Friday and Saturday that he needed to be admitted into hospital. Doctors think he had bronchitis. But has bounced back better than ever," she posted.
On December 28, just one day before allegedly attempting to kill her son, Ms Lucas posted pictures of William and his older sister at a local water park.
"Charlotte and William trying out their new bathers," she wrote.
Friends commented on how healthy William was looking.
Pierre Robin syndrome is not a terminal illness and, according to resources from the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, most babies outgrow the severe breathing problems as their airways grow.