A mother accused of falsely claiming her son had cancer to collect donations from kind-hearted Australians has mocked prosecutors who asked she not be released on bail.
Michelle Bodzar and her husband Stephen Miller, both 44, appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday via video link from their adjacent police cells.
The couple allegedly shaved their six-year-old son’s hair and eyebrows, then wrapped his head in bandages and raised $60,000 between November 18 and December 12.
When police prosecutors raised concerns at the hearing that Ms. Bodzar might interfere with the investigation by trying to access her bank or social media accounts, she audibly scoffed, as reported The advertiser.
Ms. Bodzar’s lawyer said she “strongly contested” the allegations, while Mr. Miller’s lawyer said he also denied them.
Miller, a former truck driver who switched to an office job after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, asked to be bailed to home detention with his parents in Adelaide’s north and have no contact with his wife or two children.
Magistrate Alison Adair said she would consider the application based on the outcome of a bail inquiry report due to be completed next week.
“After reading the indictments, it appears that this defendant is less involved in this crime than the other,” he said.
Ben Miller and Michelle Bodzsar (pictured), both 44, were charged with criminal negligence and deception on Friday and appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court.
Police allege the couple, from Adelaide’s western suburbs, raised $60,000 in two weeks for the six-year-old’s ongoing “cancer treatments” before they were arrested. Pictured is the fundraising page that included a photo of her six-year-old son.
The magistrate also ordered that the same report be made for Mrs. Bodzar.
However, the mother-of-two will spend Christmas behind bars and Ms Adair added she would not consider granting bail until January so detectives could continue their investigation unhindered.
Police documents allege that the couple claimed their son “had cancer, knowing that engaging in such acts would likely cause him harm” or that they were “recklessly indifferent to whether such harm had been caused.”
“The safety of the complainant (child) is paramount… it is likely that he believes he has cancer, which will have caused him psychological harm,” prosecutors said.
The pair were each charged with committing an act likely to cause harm and one count each of deception, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
An online fundraising post, seen by Daily Mail Australia, said the couple had suffered “every parent’s nightmare”.
‘The young man (child’s name), 6 years old, was diagnosed with eye cancer. “It’s stage 1,” the fundraising page said.
Lawyers representing Ms Bodzsar and Mr Miller (pictured together) said they “strongly contest” the allegations.
Acting Deputy Commissioner John DeCandia said his “investigation confirmed that the child is not seeking medical treatment.”
“We believe this (supposedly) hoax illness is causing significant and serious psychological harm to the boy and his brother,” he added.
Both the boy and his sister, who is between six and 12 years old, have been separated from their parents’ care and are living with a relative.
Mr Miller’s case has been adjourned until December 20 and Ms Bodzsar will return to court on January 6.