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Chapter Twenty

       Beyond Belief

      It took a moment for what Tess had told me to sink in. ‘Aneta has been making her children sick?’ I said numbly. ‘But how? They’ve been ill here too.’

      ‘That’s one of the reasons we didn’t make the connection. When Filip came to see me, he brought in a bottle of fluid that we’ve now had tested. It contained linctus, which induces vomiting.’

      ‘What?’ I gasped again, in utter disbelief. ‘What sort of linctus?’ I’d never heard of anything like that.

      ‘It’s usually used for medicinal purposes to make someone sick if they’ve ingested a poison. It appears that Aneta was using it regularly to make her children sick. She was able to buy it on the Internet.’

      ‘But they were sick here too. How did it get into my home?’ I asked, struggling to understand.

      ‘It was in the drink Molly and Kit brought home from contact, including the pineapple juice we took from the Family Centre to be tested.’

      ‘Oh.’ My head spun.

      ‘The police have been informed and will be interviewing the parents later today.’

      ‘Both parents?’

‘Yes. Although, from what we know, it’s likely Aneta was solely responsible. But that’s for the police to decide. In the meantime I’m suspending contact from today. I’ve informed the parents and the Family Centre. Can you tell the children, please?’

      ‘Yes, but what shall I say?’

      ‘Blame it on me,’ Tess said decisively. ‘Say I have made the decision to suspend contact for now. I’ll leave the exact wording to you. But don’t tell them one or both of their parents has been making them sick.’

      ‘No, I won’t.’ I was still struggling to take it all in.

      ‘I’ll need to come and see them next week. I’m not sure which day yet. I’ll let you know. You haven’t got any other food or drink from contact still there? The police asked.’

      ‘No. I threw it all away when I thought it could be responsible for making the children ill. I was thinking it must have gone off, never in a million years …’ My voice trailed away. ‘So Aneta added this linctus to the juice?’ I asked, still unable to believe it.

      ‘Yes. I’ve given the food diary to the police. They may want to speak to you about it.’

      ‘They don’t think I had anything to do with making the children sick?’ I asked, horrified.

      ‘No, but they may need to clarify some of your entries. Your writing isn’t that clear in places and the diary may be used in evidence.’

      ‘Sorry, I scribbled down notes as I went, never thinking it would lead to this.’

      ‘Also, can you confirm that Molly and Kit haven’t been ill since food and drink was banned from contact.’

      ‘That’s right, they haven’t,’ I said. ‘But the rash and breathing difficulties that Kit developed – when I had to take him to hospital – how does that fit in?’

‘It’s likely to have been caused by repeated doses of the linctus she was giving them. It gradually poisons the system. It could have killed them both.’

      I went cold as I remembered how I’d given Kit the juice drink the day he’d been very ill, lots of it. He’d wanted juice and, unaware it contained the poison, I’d given him as much as he wanted, unwittingly making him worse. My anger flared. Aneta had been using me as a tool to continue her evil actions, but why had she done it at all?

      ‘Why would anyone want to make their children ill?’ I asked. ‘I don’t understand.’

      ‘FDIA is a mental illness,’ Tess said. ‘The care-giver exaggerates the child’s illness or intentionally makes them sick in order to gain attention and sympathy. The victim is usually a child. FDIA is relatively rare but difficult to identify, so cases can easily be missed. It is most commonly found in parents of small children. One in ten victims dies as a result.’

      I shuddered. ‘Good grief. It could have killed Molly and Kit.’ I felt weak at the knees. Then my thoughts turned to the miserable childhoods they’d endured – always being sick. ‘Those poor children,’ I said. ‘They’ve been ill for most of their lives and needn’t have been. I can’t believe this.’

      ‘I know. We’re struggling here too. Kit and Molly will be staying with you for now.’

      ‘You’ve decided that?’

      ‘Yes, I’ve spoken to my manager. In view of what’s come to light, the probability is that Aneta made up the allegations about you to deflect attention away from herself. The police are of the same opinion.’

      ‘That’s a relief. My family and I were very upset at the suggestion we could have intentionally harmed the children.’

‘Filip has apologized. He has asked that the children remain with you for now, as they are settled. I’ll notify Edith so she can inform the other carers.’

      ‘She’s due here soon,’ I said. ‘Shall I tell her?’

      ‘Yes, please. She can phone me if she has any questions. But I can only tell her what I’ve told you. I’ll know more once both parents have been interviewed by the police. Thank you, Cathy.’

      ‘For

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