A caucasian mother in Washington is under investigation on suspicion of medical child abuse of her 6-year-old adopted African American daughter. Sophie Hartman, 31, has been charged with second-degree assault of a child and second-degree attempted assault of a child on May 24.
According to charging documents from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, Hartman subjected her daughter to unnecessary medical surgical interventions and restraints. These treatments were done due to a rare neurological disease called Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood.
Authorities said that Hartman had forced the young girl to undergo more than 470 medical treatments since she was 2 years. These treatments included invasive procedures in July 2017 where the girl had a surgically implanted feeding tube, and a cecostomy tube in December 2018 to help flush the child’s intestines and bowels.
In that same year, the Hartmans were able to acquire a fundraiser from Make-A-Wish foundation. The mother made her pleas comparing her daughter’s condition to a human ticking time bomb saying that the girl could become paralyzed at any given time.
The girl was also made to wear leg braces and was confined to a wheelchair at which point Hartman was able to purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle from the Make-A-Wish fundraiser funds.
The mother had carried out these treatments despite the doctors having already advised her that these were unnecessary.
Prosecutors also found out that Hartman had even asked for a surgical hormonal implant to suppress the early onset of puberty of the girl.
During the investigation, four medical professionals from the child’s care team issued a report in February to the Washington State Department of Children Youth and Families. In their review, they said the risk to Hartman’s daughter was “profound” after the child underwent a 16-day observation for her numerous ailments and treatments.
The report, which was signed by the medical director for Seattle Children’s Hospital, Dr. Rebecca Wiester, reads: "This situation is a case of medical child abuse.
"It is not necessary to know the possible motivation of a caregiver, only the outcome of the behavior. It is my concern that this pattern has resulted in unnecessary medical testing, medication, procedures, surgeries and debility of this child."
Following the report from DCYF, Renton Police launched their own investigation into the case. After search warrants were issued, detectives said that while Hartman's daughter was diagnosed with AHC, doctors told investigators the diagnosis was based on information they had received directly from Hartman. This was despite the fact that none of the AHC symptoms such as severe seizures were observed first hand on the child.
Court documents stated that all available evidence that was gathered during the course of the child’s observation suggests that the girl is a healthy young 6-year-old. There were no findings or reported symptoms that support the girl's prior diagnoses.
Among the evidence obtained from the search, investigators found a series of diary entries written by Hartman where the mother allegedly wrote various instances that she had lied about her daughter having different illnesses such as meningitis and mono. One of her entries stated: "When it comes to suffering, I am a compulsive liar/exaggerator."
Meanwhile, Hartman’s attorneys told Fox News, their client is innocent of the charges as these were based on false statements and misrepresentations. The lawyers cited that the doctor who made the medical report has never seen the child or spoken to Hartman and that the girl was diagnosed with the disease by one of the few expert pediatric neurologists in the world from Duke University and by a neurologist at Mary Bridge Hospital in Tacoma.
Hartman’s adopted daughter was removed from her care in March.
