Doctor ‘aided mum’ in alleged child murder plot

A doctor allegedly helped a mother charged with attempting to murder her disabled six-year-old daughter by overdosing her with a drug.

Michelle Yvonne Gough, 40, and GP Pieter Theunis Austin, 47, have both been charged with attempting to unlawfully kill the young girl.

Child abuse squad detectives allege Ms Gough went to the clinic in Western Australia’s Great Southern region on January 17 and left with a prescription to access a drug to end her daughter’s life

Police allege Dr Austin was aware of the intended use of the drug.

Two days later, another family member took the girl to a local medical facility because she was unwell, then the child was taken to Albany Hospital.

After she was stabilised, the girl was transferred via Royal Flying Doctor Service to Perth Children’s Hospital.

“It will be alleged the child’s health had deteriorated as the result of being administered the drug that had been sought,” police said in a statement.

Ms Gough was last Friday charged and faced Perth Magistrates Court the next day.

Dr Austin – the practice principal at The Surgery in Albany – was arrested on Wednesday and faced Albany Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Both have been remanded in custody to face Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on February 16.

Ms Gough, who has three other children, started a GoFundMe page in December 2016 when her daughter was 14 months old, raising $20,000 to pay for Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration treatment.

“(She) has been diagnosed with a neurological issue that affects her ability to organise her gross and fine movement patterns,” Ms Gough wrote.

“She finds it difficult to eat, chew and swallow. Holding toys in her hands is mostly impossible without help.

“When (she) tries to roll over, push up or become mobile, she has little success and quickly becomes extremely exhausted.”

Ms Gough continued to post several updates until mid-2017 and thanked the community for their support.

Dr Austin’s medical interests online list chronic disease management and paediatrics at the top.

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