A social media influencer accused of poisoning her baby to gain online fame and fortune has been granted bail.
The 34-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared via videolink in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday sitting at a table wearing a long blue shirt with her arms crossed.
Magistrate Stephen Courtney had adjourned the bail application decision on Tuesday, saying it was a complex case.
Queensland Police allege the woman gave her one-year-old child unauthorised prescription and pharmacy medications between August and October 2024 to grow her social media profile and gain $60,000 in donations.
She was charged on January 16 with five counts of administering poison with intent to harm, three counts of preparation to commit crimes with dangerous things and one count each of torture, making child exploitation material and fraud.
Crown prosecutor Jack Scott told the court that the infant had been hospitalised for tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a genetic condition that results in benign tumours in multiple organs.
He said the baby was prescribed carbamazepine - a medication for epilepsy - but doctors later ceased the medication.
The baby suffered significant medical episodes between August and October 2024 with seizures, unconsciousness like being in a coma and a cardiac arrest.
Mr Scott said the baby underwent two high-risk surgeries as the infant's seizures were not typical and was not responding to medication.
Footage captured on October 3, 2024, allegedly showed the woman move a video camera that was monitoring the infant during a brain activity test “to avoid detection” of her actions.
Mr Scott said the footage showed her covering the child with a blanket before fiddling with the nasogastric tube attached to the infant.
Tests in the days after found several medications not prescribed to the infant including carbamazepine and diazepam at "arguably dangerous levels".
Mr Scott alleged the various drugs given to the baby over two-and-a-half months placed the child's health at direct risk and may have resulted in unnecessary surgery.
Mr Courtney said on Wednesday the police case was strong and the offending serious.
If the woman was convicted the sentence would be several years including time served, the magistrate said.
"It is not the law that just because there's a strong crown case and because I think imprisonment will flow if a person is convicted that person will or should remain in custody," Mr Courtney said.
In granting bail, Mr Courtney said the prosecution's argument that the woman posed a risk to the safety of the victim was dependent on her having physical access.
He said it was unlikely she would interfere with witnesses and there was no "particularisation" of threats from the community.
Mr Courtney estimated a trial for the case would be at least two years away unless the woman pleaded guilty then the matter would proceed quicker.
"I have wrestled with this," he said in granting bail.
"It is one of the difficult parts of my job deciding whether to deprive someone's liberty if they have yet been convicted of that offence."
He granted bail on the conditions she must not approach within 100 metres of the infant, and her only contact with the baby would be by audiovisual means and supervised by child safety.
Mr Courtney asked the woman whether she understood the bail conditions and she replied that she did.
Defence lawyer Mathew Cuskelly declined to comment to media outside the court after his client was granted bail.
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