Crime & Safety
PA Mother Forced Son To Undergo Painful, Unneeded Procedures: PD
Police said the child suffered as a result of the mother's false convictions.
PENNSYLVANIA — A Pennsylvania mother faces criminal charges after she forced her son to undergo unnecessary and painful medical procedures, police announced this week.
Christine Marie Maxwell, 48, of East Pennsboro Township in Cumberland County, faces aggravated assault and numerous other charges in connection with the incident.
Police described her actions as representative of a mental condition known as "Munchausen's by Proxy," or commonly called Caregiver Fabricated Illness, where an individual believes the person they are caring for is unwell, even when they are healthy.
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The exact faked symptoms were not disclosed by authorities, but police said that the child underwent "many" medical procedures and tests.
Other charges filed include simple assault, endangering welfare of children, and theft by deception.
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A preliminary hearing is forthcoming.
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