A mother Carol Lynn Schnuphase persuaded her 12-year-old son in an attempt to get donations from well-wishers, he was dying from cancer. She drugged her son Christopher to make him look ill, shaved his head and eyebrows in an effort to convince people the youngster was dying from leukaemia.
A 47-year-old mother spiked her son's meals with drugs to make him appear ill before contacting church and local businesses groups to raise funds for his treatment. Investigators said Carol Lynn Schnuphase had received more than $7,000 before her scam operation was discovered by her sister.
Her Face book page statement: 'Christopher now knows he's dying.'
Schnuphase later told relatives that he had succumbed to the illness. But police in Roseville and Michigan, believed the 12-year-boy is in perfect health. Detectives who interviewed members and relatives of Schnuphase's family said they truly thought the boy had cancer. Her relatives became suspicious when Schnuphase said her son had died and she had decided against holding a funeral.
Deputy Chief of the Roseville Police, James Berlin said: Schnuphase did scam over a period of several months. Church groups held fundraising activities and she canvassed local businesses for donations. Deputy Berlin said 'They feel they were helping out a mother and her son. People want to think the best of other people.'
He also stated the boy did not know he was being used as part of a scam. He said his mother drugged him by putting opiates in his applesauce and other food. By shaving his eyebrows and hair Schnuphase was able to tell people that it had fallen out from chemotherapy treatment.
Schnuphase has been charged with child and faces up to 14 years in jail. Her son has been placed with promoter parents.
A 47-year-old mother spiked her son's meals with drugs to make him appear ill before contacting church and local businesses groups to raise funds for his treatment. Investigators said Carol Lynn Schnuphase had received more than $7,000 before her scam operation was discovered by her sister.
Her Face book page statement: 'Christopher now knows he's dying.'
Schnuphase later told relatives that he had succumbed to the illness. But police in Roseville and Michigan, believed the 12-year-boy is in perfect health. Detectives who interviewed members and relatives of Schnuphase's family said they truly thought the boy had cancer. Her relatives became suspicious when Schnuphase said her son had died and she had decided against holding a funeral.
Deputy Chief of the Roseville Police, James Berlin said: Schnuphase did scam over a period of several months. Church groups held fundraising activities and she canvassed local businesses for donations. Deputy Berlin said 'They feel they were helping out a mother and her son. People want to think the best of other people.'
He also stated the boy did not know he was being used as part of a scam. He said his mother drugged him by putting opiates in his applesauce and other food. By shaving his eyebrows and hair Schnuphase was able to tell people that it had fallen out from chemotherapy treatment.
Schnuphase has been charged with child and faces up to 14 years in jail. Her son has been placed with promoter parents.
