A Texas mother is facing serious legal charges in connection with the medical mistreatment of her 15-year-old daughter. The woman has been accused of committing nine felony offenses. Moreover, authorities are currently examining claims suggesting that she may have fabricated her own health conditions, potentially deceiving Medicaid and private contributors to receive financial support for a cancer diagnosis that was untrue.
Denise Zamora, 40, is accused of submitting false medical hisotires for her daughter that led to “unnecessary and potentially harmful medical procedures over a six-year-period” that included insertion of a feeding tube, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office said.
Zamora has been charged with one count of injury to a child/serious bodily injury, one county of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of injury to a child, and four counts of endangering a child. One of those counts, the sheriff’s office said. relates to “unnecessary administration of katamine and pain treatms in which the victim became dependent.”
The dangerous weapon charge relates to the use of the doctor’s scalpal to insert an unnecessary feeding tube, KDFW said.
According to an arrest affidavit more than 20 pages long, Zamora falsified symptoms — including headaches, stomach pains, nausea, seizures, and spinal issues — beginning in 2018. The complaints led to the girl using a wheelchair, seven emergency room visits, 12 hospital admissions, 44 diagnoses, and 19 different prescriptions.
Zamora said her daugther was deaf and non-verbal, communicating only by sign language.
A doctor said in the affidavit it’s believed to be a case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which a caregiver creates the false appearance of medical conditions in another person.
In one instance, the affidavit said, Zamora “was caught on covert video surveillance taking a syringe from the vanity and using the syringe to insert what appeared to be a clear unknown liquid into the victim’s feeding bag and then taking the feeding bag down and pouring some of the contents into a cup…. then presenting to the nurse that the victim had thrown up.”
But that wasn’t all. The sheriff’s office also accused — but has so far not charged — Zamora with “falsifying her own medical history claiming to have cancer.”
“The suspect deceived her family and friends going as far as shaving her head and claiming to be undergoing chemotherapy treatments,” the sheriff’s office said. “There is potential for an investigation into Medicaid fraud charges for an estimated $500,000 to $1 million in unnecessary medical treatments.
“Detectives suspect that Zamora may have solicited monetary donations for both herself and her child’s medical expenses.”
They asked anyone who may have donated to Zamora to contact them at 817 884 3749.
Meanwhile, Zamora was released on a $50,000 bond and prohibited from having contact with her daughter, KTVK said. She is also barred from being alone with any children under 17.
Police did not provide any information about the teen’s current condition or whereabouts.
