Sarah Jayne Kelly: Mum who lied about kids having illnesses including cancer had breasts removed needlessly
Bizarre details of Sarah Jayne Kelly's medical child abuse case emerged on Thursday in the District Court, which was told the 30-year-old falsely claimed one of her sons had leukaemia and a brain tumour.
Prosecutor Hannah Milligan said she also insisted to Fiona Stanley Hospital staff that all four of her kids had elements of ADHD and autism.
Defence counsel Emma Zillessen argued there was 'a suggestion that one of the children may have a small amount of cerebral palsy' before admitting she had no evidence to support that and withdrew the remark.
'The whole family seems to be enmeshed in a diabolical, desperate system of, I don't even know how to put it,' Ms Zillessen said.
Judge Laurie Levy noted Kelly — who had already admitted a GoFundMe fundraising fraud — had a double mastectomy 'for prophylactic reasons'.
So her claim she had been flown back and forth from Esperance for radiation treatment was yet another lie, the judge asked, and Ms Zillessen conceded that was the case.
'There's been a conflagration of this strange behaviour ... we don't shy away from that at all,' the lawyer said.
'There is something wrong with her and jail is not therapeutic.'
Kelly is facing sentencing for two charges, having care or control of a child engaging in conduct that was reckless and may have resulted in that child suffering, and failing to appear in court.
She was extradited back to WA earlier this year after fleeing with her entire family interstate in a bid to dodge her fate and was remanded in custody at Melaleuca Women's Prison.
Inmates there had raised concerns about her, Ms Zillessen said, referring to factitious disorder.
It is a rare type of mental health condition previously known as Munchausen syndrome, involving making others believe you or someone under your care is ill.
Kelly had been dragging herself around on the prison floor, Ms Zillessen said, and Judge Levy said she appeared much better than at her previous court appearance when she was reclining to one side and had difficulty speaking.
After Judge Levy remarked on 'a reference to masochism', Ms Milligan confirmed Kelly had undiagnosed mental health issues.
Defence counsel sought bail, saying her client had been separated from her children long enough and needed proper care outside jail, but the prosecutor objected.
Ms Milligan said one of Kelly's sons may have suffered physically as a result of her lies - including being restrained for repeated insertions of nasogastric tubes.
He may have also suffered psychologically from multiple presentations to doctors and hospitals, and she remained an ongoing risk to the children, Ms Milligan said.
Judge Levy adjourned until August 11 pending a report from the Child Protection, saying he was not minded to grant bail 'on ordinary terms'.
Kelly is due in court on August 8 on a charge of attempting to pervert justice.
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