An Adelaide mother, Michelle Bodzsar, has been sentenced to prison for deceiving her community and loved ones by falsely claiming her six-year-old son had cancer. Bodzsar managed to secure $11,500 AUD (£6,000) in donations by fabricating a story that her son had eye cancer, despite medical tests confirming the boy was healthy following an eye injury from a trampoline fall in September 2024.

She went to great lengths to perpetuate the lie, including telling her husband that their child had multiple tumors on his optic nerve and needed extensive treatment. Bodzsar even created a false narrative on Facebook, showcasing her son with a shaved head and requesting donations for his supposed medical expenses.

The deceit extended to forcing her son to take fake medication daily, attend school events in a wheelchair, and wear an eye patch. Bodzsar’s husband, Ben Miller, only discovered the truth when he was arrested by the police, leading to dropped charges against him. Miller expressed feeling betrayed and manipulated by his wife’s actions.

The judge highlighted the severe impact of Bodzsar’s actions on her family, particularly on her children’s emotional well-being. The local school community also felt shock and shame upon learning the truth, with many expressing embarrassment for not detecting the deception earlier.

Despite Bodzsar attributing her actions to financial difficulties, the judge dismissed this claim, emphasizing that the deception was driven by a desire for attention. Bodzsar was sentenced to four years, three months, and 20 days in prison, with a non-parole period of two years and four months. She will be eligible for parole in a year, with the sentence backdated to December 12, 2024.