Woman Tried to Kill Toddler With Adult Drugs Then Posted TikToks During Trial — Now She Faces Life Behind Bars

A Scottish woman who repeatedly gave a toddler medication that had not been prescribed for her has been sentenced to an order of lifelong restriction after being convicted of attempting to murder the child.

Laura Docherty, 35, from Glenrothes, repeatedly administered medication to the child over a period of about a year between 2022 and 2023. The child suffered repeated bouts of sickness and was taken to hospital several times as a result, according to a statement posted by Police Scotland Fife.

Docherty was found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh in December 2025. She was sentenced at the same court on Monday, 17 August 2026, receiving an order of lifelong restriction and a minimum prison term of six years.

Medication Not Suitable for Children

According to Police Scotland Fife, Docherty repeatedly gave the child medication that had not been prescribed for her and was not suitable for children.

The repeated incidents left the child seriously unwell and resulted in several hospital stays. The case eventually came to the attention of medical staff, who raised concerns in February 2023.

Police then launched an investigation into what had happened to the child. Officers arrested and charged Docherty in May 2023 in connection with attempted murder. The force said the offences had taken place over the course of approximately a year, meaning the child had been exposed to the medication repeatedly before concerns were formally raised.

The case was subsequently brought before the High Court in Edinburgh, where Docherty was convicted in December 2025.

'Prolonged And Abhorrent Abuse'

Detective Constable Gemma Warriner described the case as prolonged and serious, saying the child had suffered numerous hospital stays as a result of the abuse. 'This was prolonged and abhorrent abuse of a young child which resulted in numerous stays in hospital,' Warriner said in a statement posted by Police Scotland Fife.

She also said Docherty had not accepted responsibility for her actions during the investigation and had repeatedly blamed others. 'Throughout the investigation, Docherty took no responsibility for her actions and repeatedly blamed others,' Warriner said.

The officer acknowledged that cases involving harm to children can be particularly difficult to investigate, but said police were committed to fully investigating such incidents and ensuring those responsible were held accountable.

TikTok Videos During Trial

The case attracted further attention because of Docherty's activity on TikTok while she was facing the serious criminal allegations.

Docherty posted TikTok videos during her trial, behaviour that was criticised by the judge during sentencing. Judge Michael O'Grady KC said Docherty appeared willing to put the child's life at risk for 'nothing more than the drama of the moment' and the attention she appeared to seek.

The prosecution's case was that Docherty deliberately created medical emergencies by giving the child medication that was not intended for her, rather than the child's illnesses being the result of an accident or legitimate treatment.

Docherty denied the allegations but was ultimately convicted by a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Lifelong Restriction Order Imposed

The court imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction, meaning Docherty will remain subject to supervision and restrictions after her release from prison because she has been assessed as posing a continuing risk.

She was also jailed for a minimum of six years. Police Scotland Fife said the sentence followed the conviction secured at the High Court in December 2025. Warriner said she hoped the sentence would provide some comfort to the child's family after what had been a prolonged and distressing case. 'I hope today's sentence brings some comfort to the family,' she said in the Police Scotland statement.

The force also urged people to report concerns about the safety or welfare of children to police or relevant partner agencies. It said reporting concerns can help authorities protect vulnerable children and intervene when there are signs that a child may be at risk.

Public Reaction To Sentence

The sentence has also sparked criticism on the Police Scotland Fife Facebook post, with several users arguing that a minimum six-year prison term was too lenient given the seriousness of the offence and the long-term impact on the child.

One commenter wrote, '6 years is an absolute disgrace. Sentencing should of been harsher as the young child's got to live with the trauma for life.' Another said, 'Anything to do with kids like this should be a mandatory life term, no questions,' while a third simply wrote, '6 years is a joke.'

The comments reflect public reaction to the sentence and do not represent the views of Police Scotland or the court.