Mother forced toddler to swallow bleach, say cops
A woman in Pathum Thani has been arrested for allegedly forcing her toddler to swallow bleach to make him look sick for an online advertisement selling her products, according to a local police source.
The source said the boy was rescued and is now under the care of a shelter for children in the province.
The source said the mother, identified as Nittha Wongwan, 29, was arrested on Monday after she managed to earn 10 million baht with her online products after displaying images of the victim with what she called “severe allergic reactions”.
A DNA test to verify she is the mother of the victim is being conducted, the source said, adding police have cast doubt over the victim’s birth certificate and the suspect’s pregnancy.
The source said the suspect admitted to adopting a three-year-old baby girl who later died after suffering similar symptoms described as “a strange illness” on another online advertisement, the source said.
According to the police source, the suspect is accused of adopting a child with the intent to use him as a tool for illegal gains, causing fatal injury and fraud.
The source said the suspect denied harming the children. However, she admitted to fraud for failing to deliver face masks promised to customers.
More than 3,000 people made over 8,000 transactions with the suspect, the source said, noting they were lead to believe the suspect’s son fell sick because of a rare and strange disease.
The source also said doctors at Thammasat University Hospital reported the victim vomited blood and had injuries to his gastrointestinal tract.
The source said doctors also believe the suspect poisoned the baby girl who died because she was brought to the same hospital, adding it was medical personnel who alerted police.
Maj Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, chief of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), said the case is being investigated.
Maj Gen Jirabhop said police currently do not have enough evidence to make a statement about the case.
However, law enforcement agents believe they will have the evidence needed to pin the suspect, Maj Gen Jirabhop added.
