A New Jersey mother has been indicted by the Sussex County grand jury on one charge of child endangerment. Malinda Lugin was accused of forcing her 7-year-old daughter to have unnecessary surgeries and medical tests, according to the Daily Record. It has been determined that the girl was healthy except for a minor allergy to strawberries, said Assistant Prosecutor Seana Pappas.
The 36-year-old mom convinced her daughter's doctors to perform invasive medical testing and surgeries from her birth in November 2007 until April 2014. The procedures even included the insertion of a feeding tube, said the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office, according to NJ.com. Lugin's arrest came after doctors became suspicious and reported her to authorities.
While authorities wouldn't give details about the pending case, Lugin portrayed her daughter as an invalid, and officials claimed the abuse happened even before the girl was born, while Lugin was still pregnant, according to Fox News.
Officials believe the allegations could have established a case of "Munchhausen by proxy." In Munchausen, a caretaker creates attention or sympathy by purposely harming another.
Lugin had been out on $20,000 bail since June, after a state superior judge lowered her bail from $50,000.
