Nurse scarred child with excessive laxatives
A FORMER nurse who poisoned a child with “industrial amounts” of laxative leaving him scarred for life has been jailed for seven years.
Tracy Menhinick, 52, gave the boy the laxative lactulose, which resulted in his growth being stunted and led to his hospitalisation. One expert witness said the child resembled a survivor from a concentration camp as a result.
It is understood the boy has since recovered but has been left with permanent disfigurements.
The 19-day trial heard 5,500 pages of evidence relating to the youngster and his failure to gain weight. The child was aged between three and six at the time of the Munchausen by proxy poisoning – a specific mental illness most often linked to child abuse by a caregiver.
At one stage the boy was admitted to hospital weighing just under 10kg at the age of five. It was revealed at yesterday’s sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow that a doctor’s report deemed that Menhinick did suffer from a factitious disorder imposed on another.
The disorder was previously named Munchausen’s syndrome and Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy. Menhinick was removed from caring for the boy after a test result from Great Ormond Street Hospital confirmed lactulose was present in his stool sample.
The trial heard from Dr Peter Sullivan, an emeritus professor in paediatric gastroenterology at Oxford University who concluded the boy must have had “industrial amounts” of lactulose.
Judge Lady Drummond said: “You were an auxiliary nurse and had the knowledge to know what you were doing. You caused him to be in that state. When he was admitted to hospital, you continued to give him a high level of laxatives.
“Doctors were baffled despite their efforts to care for the child with various tests and treatments that he wasn’t gaining weight and thriving. The amount of laxatives he was given resulted in floppy episodes and he had to be resuscitated. Why anyone would want to inflict harm on a young child over multiple years is beyond understanding.
“The victim impact statement says he has been left with physical scarring – your actions have had a negative impact on him psychologically. It has had a devastating impact on his life. You abused the position of trust put on you by the child and the hospital.”
The judge described a “complete disregard for the consequences of your actions”, adding: “The only appropriate disposal for such ill-treatment of a child over a lengthy period of time with serious consequences is a significant period in custody.”