An Australian influencer has been accused of poisoning a child for money

An Australian influencer has been accused of poisoning her son to gain donations and grow an online following.

A Queensland woman said she was documenting her son’s death-defying battle on social media, but investigators have revealed she was drugging and then filming the one-year-old in “extreme distress and pain”.

Doctors raised the alarm in October when the child was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.

After months of investigation, the 34-year-old woman was charged with torture, poisoning, child exploitation and fraud.

Queensland Police Det Insp Paul Dalton told reporters on Thursday: “(There are no words to describe how despicable an offense of this nature is).

Between August and October, investigators say the woman — from the Sunshine Coast region — gave the child several prescription and over-the-counter medications.

She went to great lengths to obtain illegal drugs and hide her behavior, including using leftover drugs in their home for someone else.

Police began an investigation on October 15, when the child was admitted to hospital suffering from “severe emotional and physical distress and trauma”. He said a test for illegal drugs came back positive in January.

The woman raised $60,000 (£30,500; $37,300) through a GoFundMe donation – the site is trying to pay for it, Det Insp Dalton said.

Police have investigated other people for the alleged abuse, but there is no evidence to incriminate anyone else, he added.

The woman will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.