BANGKOK — Police on Monday said a two-year-old boy was poisoned by his mother in a plot to swindle donations from his illness.
Nittha Wongwan, 29, was arrested last week after police suspected her of forcing her son to swallow dangerous chemicals in an attempt to raise more than 10 million baht in donations from netizens. The investigation was launched after doctors examining the boy’s conditions detected foul play.
“A medical examination found that her son did not suffer from a mysterious illness as claimed by his mother,” Natthaphong Koetiam of the Crime Suppression Division said. “The boy suffered from burnt lips and digestive tract, which doctors confirmed that it is caused by poison ingestion.”
Police are investigating whether a chemical confiscated from Nittha’s house is the same substance consumed by the boy. They are also waiting for the DNA results to determine whether she is indeed the boy’s biological mother, after officers noticed the victim appeared reluctant to talk with his mother.
If DNA results indicate that they do not share blood relations, Nittha will be charged with another count of fraud and human trafficking, since she claimed to be the boy’s mother in her online pleas for donations, police said.
“Although the birth certificate states that she is a legal mother of the boy, there are loopholes in the current law which allow such registration,” CSD chief Jiraphop Phuridech said Saturday.
Nittha, who is a single mother, raised more than 10 million baht in donations after she posed photos and video clips of her son vomiting blood from what she said was a “mysterious illness.”
She said the cash would be used for the boy’s medical expenses.
Supatcha Suttipol, director general of the Department of Children and Youth, said the boy is now discharged from the hospital and under the care of a children’s shelter.
