Tiffany Lesueur
Mom in Ohio, Tiffany Lesueur, accused of injecting feces into her sick child's IV. YouTube: WTOL11

A mother in Ohio has been charged after hospital surveillance footage allegedly captured her injecting faecal matter into her own child's intravenous line while the child was receiving treatment in a Columbus hospital.

Prosecutors in Lucas County allege that the incidents occurred while the child was admitted for ongoing medical care and that hospital staff raised concerns after the child's condition deteriorated unexpectedly. Court documents state that medical personnel observed signs of unexplained infection, prompting an internal review and surveillance monitoring. Authorities have described the alleged acts as deliberate and repeated.

Criminal Charges Filed In Lucas County Court

The Lucas County Prosecutor's Office confirmed that the mother, Tiffany Le Sueur, faces felony charges linked to child endangerment and felonious assault. The criminal complaint alleges that she injected faecal matter into the child's IV line on two separate occasions while the child was admitted to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus.

Court records filed in Lucas County Common Pleas Court detail the timeline outlined by investigators. The affidavit reportedly states that hospital staff first noticed signs of a bloodstream infection that did not correspond with the child's diagnosed condition. Medical professionals initiated a review of the child's central line after laboratory tests revealed bacteria commonly associated with faecal contamination.

Prosecutors allege that hospital security footage showed the mother manipulating the IV line shortly before the child experienced medical distress. Investigators assert in the affidavit that video evidence captured her using a syringe to introduce an unknown substance into the IV tubing. Subsequent laboratory testing reportedly indicated the presence of faecal bacteria.

Authorities arrested the woman following the hospital's referral of the matter to law enforcement. The arrest took place after consultation between Columbus police and Maumee authorities, given the family's residence in Lucas County. A bond hearing was scheduled in accordance with Ohio criminal procedure.

Hospital Surveillance And Medical Findings

Nationwide Children's Hospital has not released detailed public statements about the case, citing patient privacy laws, but court filings describe the role hospital staff played in identifying the alleged abuse. The affidavit references infection markers consistent with deliberate contamination rather than accidental exposure.

Medical staff reportedly observed that the child's condition improved when access to the IV line was restricted and when visitation protocols were adjusted. Prosecutors claim that after increased monitoring was put in place, another incident occurred, prompting a review of surveillance footage from the hospital room.

The complaint alleges that the second injection took place despite heightened awareness among hospital staff. Investigators state that footage shows the mother positioning herself near the IV equipment and using a syringe while the child lay in bed. The filing asserts that medical testing following the second incident once again revealed bacteria consistent with human waste.

Hospital protocols for central lines typically require strict sterile procedures to prevent infection. Intravenous lines provide direct access to the bloodstream, which means that contamination can lead to sepsis, organ failure, and life-threatening complications. Prosecutors have argued in court that introducing faecal matter into such a line presents a substantial risk of serious harm or death.

Legal Proceedings And Broader Context

Under Ohio law, felonious assault can apply when an individual knowingly causes serious physical harm to another person. Child endangerment statutes in the state address conduct that creates a substantial risk to a child's health or safety. Court documents reviewed by local media indicate that the prosecution intends to rely on surveillance footage, laboratory findings, and medical testimony.

The defence has not yet filed a substantive public response to the allegations. Court schedules indicate that a preliminary hearing will determine how the case proceeds through the Lucas County judicial system. If convicted on the most serious charges, the defendant could face a lengthy prison sentence under Ohio sentencing guidelines.

Cases involving alleged medical child abuse, sometimes referred to in clinical literature as factitious disorder imposed on another, require careful evaluation by medical and legal professionals. However, the charging decisions in this case are grounded in alleged physical evidence, including laboratory reports and recorded footage, rather than in a psychological diagnosis alone.

As the case moves forward, the court will examine whether the evidence meets the high threshold required for a felony conviction, while a child's unexplained medical crisis has already become the centre of one of Ohio's most disturbing alleged hospital abuse cases in recent memory.