No bond is more sacred than the one between a mother and child. And no figure is more sympathetic than a mother whose child faces a life-threatening illness. But what if the mother is the reason for the illness? What if the sympathy is the point?
Munchausen by proxy (MBP) has fascinated and horrified both professionals and the general public in the four decades since this disturbing form of child abuse was first identified. But even as the public has been captivated by these tales of abuse and deception, there remains widespread misinformation and confusion about MBP. Are these mothers unfeeling psychopaths, or sick women who need help? And more important, how can we protect the children whose lives are at stake?
In “Plain Sight” offers a groundbreaking look at MBP from an unlikely duo: a Seattle novelist whose own family was torn apart by it, and the Texas detective who has prosecuted more medical child abuse cases than anyone in the nation. Readers ride along on three high-stakes MBP investigations: Hope Ybarra, the world-class manipulator who created a parallel reality that ensnared even those closest to her; Brittany Philips, the blunt force instrument who was fooling no one but continued to slip through the cracks; and Mary Welch, the pretty, upper-middle-class mom next door whose appearance and status belied her cruelty and chaos. Through riveting reporting and shocking stories from the family members, friends, and doctors caught in the blast zone of these unthinkable crimes, a portrait of motherhood and madness is revealed.
With help from some of the top MBP experts in the world, Dunlop and Weber uncover the complex maze of psychological, systemic, and cultural issues that compound MBP and offer solutions for how we might find our way out.
