An Adelaide couple have been charged after allegedly faking their son’s cancer diagnosis to raise $60,000.
Michelle Bodzsar and her husband Ben Stephen Miller have reportedly claimed their six-year-old had stage one eye cancer. They had set up a crowdfunding page and appealed for donations for their son’s treatment.
Bodzsar, a hairdresser, allegedly asked a colleague to help shave her son’s hair and eyebrows.
She also allegedly bandaged his legs and placed him in a wheelchair.
Police allege the couple, both 44 years old, quickly raised $60,000 from friends, family and parents at their son’s private school and donated generously to the cause.
Police claim the boy was not being treated for cancer and the couple was arrested on Friday morning.
Late on Friday the couple appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with one count each of committing an act likely to cause harm and one count of deception.
Police allege the offenses took place between November 18 and December 12 this year.
Documents filed with the court allege that the couple “involved in representing ‘the child’ had cancer knowing that committing such acts would likely cause him harm” or “was recklessly indifferent as to whether such damage was caused’.
The charges carry a prison sentence of up to seven years if convicted.
Bodzsar was in custody until January.
Her husband’s lawyer has requested that he be placed under house arrest at his parents’ address.
Magistrate Alison Adair said she was willing to consider Miller’s application.
“After reading the charges, it appears that this defendant is less involved in this crime than the other defendant,” she said.
Miller has been remanded in custody pending a home detention bail report next week.
Speaking about the allegations, Acting Deputy Commissioner John DeCandia said Friday: “I couldn’t think of a more devious or cruel plan for the parents to inflict on their own child.”
