(TheRedWire.com) – A Texan mother, Jessica Gasser, has been detained for the alleged medical abuse of her three-year-old daughter. The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) urges anyone interacting with the 27-year-old woman to assist law enforcement with relevant information.
A recent Facebook post by the sheriff’s office illustrates that Gasser’s situation is a typical case of the condition formerly referred to as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Now recognized as a factitious disorder imposed on another, also known as FDIA, this mental condition involves a caregiver behaving like a person under their care suffers from a medical or mental illness, even when they are healthy.
Gasser’s arrest warrant mentions twelve healthcare providers involved in treating her daughter, including the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital. After an investigation that lasted several months, Gasser was apprehended on Friday, following suspicions raised by a healthcare worker in early February. The arrest warrant filed on July 11 suggests that Gasser could be charged with causing a felony injury to a child. However, while Gasser is currently detained at the Tarrant County Corrections Center, no charges have been officially brought against her by the prosecutors.
Robin Chavez, a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) representative at Cook Children’s Medical Center, had informed the TCSO of a possible case of medical child abuse.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Gasser frequently provided inaccurate medical history for her child to healthcare workers. This misinformation often resulted in the child undergoing unnecessary medical procedures.
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