North Texas mom accused of faking illnesses, forcing teen daughter into unnecessary treatments
TARRANT COUNTY – A mother in Tarrant County is facing nine felony charges for alleged medical abuse involving her 15-year-old daughter.
On Wednesday, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office arrested 40-year-old Denise A. Zamora for allegedly submitting false medical histories that led to "unnecessary and potentially harmful medical procedures over a six-year period," according to a news release.
Her actions led to the doctors placing an unneeded feeding tube in her daughter, authorities said.
Investigators are calling it a case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, where a child's caretaker makes up fake symptoms or causes real symptoms to make it appear that the child is sick, often to receive attention.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Zamora falsely claimed, among other things, that her daughter was diagnosed with VHL genetic deletion syndrome, was deaf in both ears, had a learning disability, and was non-verbal, communicating only through sign language.
Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome is a genetic disorder where tumors can grow in multiple organs throughout the body, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Zamora faces one count of injury to a child resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of injury to a child, and four counts of endangerment of a child. One of the counts is related to the unnecessary administration of Ketamine, an anesthetic, as well as pain treatments that caused the victim to become dependent.
Zamora is also accused of falsifying her medical history by claiming to have cancer, police said. She deceived her family and friends, even going so far as to shave her head and claim she was undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
There is a possibility of an investigation into Medicaid fraud, with an estimated $500,000 to $1 million in unnecessary medical treatments, police said. Detectives suspect that Zamora may have solicited monetary donations for both herself and her child's medical expenses. Anyone who has donated is asked to call Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Detective Michael Weber at (817) 884-3749.
Zamora was released on a $50,000 bond and is prohibited from having contact with the victim, according to the arrest affidavit. She is also not allowed to be alone with any children under the age of 17.