I'm not sure how true it was, but she always said it wasn't planned. I think she was nursing Julian when she became pregnant with Dakota. Of course, who knows how true any of her stories have been now. This whole thing is so so so sad. I can't imagine what her family is going through. Especially her oldest daughter.

exactly. thats the hardest. a 6 year old can overhear and know somethings going on through family members, media showing up at their house... her mom iis now gone. she has to know something. poor girl.

I know, it is so sad. I feel so bad for Madison and Julian especially, they've got to live with knowing their Mum did that to their little Sister. Probably everyone is going to know about it :(

I know. It's awful. What Raff must be going through now, the kids, I mean the whole family. It's heartbreaking.

I'm not sticking up for her when i say this but I don't think she lied about Dakota being unplanned as members of her family read her actual blog. But again, who knows.

She had told me once upon a time that in the future she wanted more kids, which I thought made no sense because she kept having preemies, but then when you think about it mebbe she caused herself to have the preemies. IDK! I just wish I could know what on earth possessed her to do that and hurt that little girl like she did!

I'd quite like to hear her side too. Perhaps in time to come... I don't know. I feel so so bad for the kids, I really do. I'm in total shock as well Annie, so god knows how you must feel cause you MET her. It's so so sad. I don't know what else to say tbh.

They should feed her shit for a while...

we were all fooled by her reputation, seemingly good values, morals, and picture perfect portrait of motherhood. It makes you question everything she said, and it makes you feel like a fool. Even though, in the past, she never gave a good reason she should be the one to be doubted.

I am floored. I pray Dakota makes a full recovery. Maybe even her health in general will improve.

My mind can't grasp it. I honestly just do NOT understand it. There is a LINE there -- how does it go from being an overprotective mother and freaking out over every little cough to actually DOING something to make your baby sick? How?

I mean... she HAD to know she was going to get caught...she was in school for nursing, she knew what bacteria is found is feces, and also knew the bacteria the cultures were growing... Sepsis just doesnt happen for no reason, and the doctors were going to figure something out sooner or later.

She admitted to doing it five times.

How can you DO that to your OWN child? It could have killed her. Sepsis is fatal in healthy people, can you imagine the toll it took on Kota's poor body? Just because she was in the hospital doesnt mean it couldnt have gone much worse... did she not realize that?

I pray that Raff and all her children cope well with this. Their lives must be just falling apart right now... I will be thinking of them.

There is still her side that we don't know. There are two sides to every story. Even though she was caught on tape, and admitted it, I still want to know her side. Not that it will make her actions any more excusable, but I just want to understand what was going on in her mind.

I agree 100%
My thoughts are with her children and husband right now.
It's doing my head in now tbh. I want to hear her side as well, I still don't think I will understand though, I don't know WHAT was going thru her mind. I realy... Just wow.

- personally I think she did it to keep her in the hospital where she wouldn't have to be the sole caregiver, but what I don't quite follow is I thought they had nurses at their house helping them daily and nightly or was that all a lie, IDK - but I do feel bad for the kids and I am glad they caught her before she did any more harm, however it hurts more knowing that we actually met and knew her - I don't know what to think - the whole thing irritates me - I don't think it is MBP because she knew what she was doing and she didn't appear to be doing it for attention as she didn't write about the attention she received in that effect - when she did write about attention it was extremely modest - she may have just been overwhelmed however hurting your child is never the answer - get help admitt defeat - sigh -

They DO know what they are doing is wrong. It just doesn't matter to them as long as they get the attention.

They don't talk about the attention they receive for doing the things. Her writing blogs about it is PROOF that she was trying to get attention for it. She knew people would sympathize, she knew people would read and possibly pass it along to an unknown person for more support.

Oh yes, EVERYTHING about this case SCREAMS MBPS

I just realised I just said the same thing as you. ;) And I agree, it sounds VERY MBPS to me.

One other thing I forgot to mention, in one of the links provided to the story about this case, it was said that she admitted the reason she did it was for attention.

People with Munchausens by proxy know what they are doing. They are not delusional or psychiatrically unwell. And I don't think the fact she didn't write about the attention can be assumed to mean she didn't enjoy the attention she was getting, both in real life and on line.

This is just my opinion, but given the fact that there is video evidence that she intentionally did this, I couldn't care less what her side of the story is. The only reason to hear the other side of the story is to gain perspective that might cause you to feel empathy for the suspect or help you choose a side. The only side here to be chosen is the child's side, and I'm sorry, but there is NO empathy to be had for Emily. AT ALL. For ANY reason. It doesn't matter what it was that caused her to do these things, there is NO excuse. So what's the point in hearing her side of it? No matter what she says, normal people will never be able to comprehend such heinous acts.

There are only two reasons to hear her side of the story:
1)So people will not feel so guilty that they completely missed this part of her personality. But there's nothing to feel guilty about anyway. There's no reason to feel guilty about being deceived by someone who has perfected the art of deception.

and

2)To help people feel justified in feeling the way they feel about her now. But isn't what she did to her daughter the only justification needed?

Even if it boils down to depression that caused a feeling of overwhelming and just wanting to stop it (which is highly unlikely given the status of her blog entries), it doesn't justify her actions. Nothing ever will. And no matter what excuse she gives you, that's all it is...an excuse. So WHY does it even matter what her side of the story is?

I think those of us that have known Emily for years, and were very close with her want to hear her side because we can't understand this at all. It won't change anything. But Emily is someone I would have left my children with, I cannot wrap my head around this. When someone you are close with does something like this you can't help but want to hear all sides of the story. Not to justify or to empathize.

yes Hollie. I understand what you mean. It's hard to explain isn't it?! lol.

you are 100% correct.

I guess it is more of trying to see how that part of her personality was just... missed. By everyone.

Had she been doing this for a while? Did she do it to her other children? Just... good grief... if it was missed five times in the hospital, how may times did she do something like this at her home?

It isnt that there is a matter of "sides" - The only side there is to be taken is the child's side. Her children and her husband are the only ones anyone should side with.

It it's a matter of just wanting to be able to understand how something so shocking can be missed...

i was wondering if she'd done it at home in order to cause the high fever etc that got her admitted, but then again she had to have done something that was more untraceable that they hadn't caught on soon enough! I am still floored about all this.

its crazy cause i stopped talking to her so all I know is what was posted on the austin news site with her blog excerps .... its utterly insane, I have seen the videos etc and I think some of what she wrote due to media was taken out of context. However, you don't know undless you talk to her. I really truly feel bad for the kids and Raff. Maddie is gonna be the one mostly effected cause she isn't Raffs biological daughter, which means when all is said her done her real father may have rights to her ... (sigh)

Words taken out of context or not, the video evidence is all I need. Nothing she says to try to redeem herself or her blog entries will have any effect in light of the video evidence.

I agree with you in all honesty. and I know she said one of the reasons was for attention but by saying that it helps her begin an early psych defence, which will help her in court cause it will give the ideal that she was sick all along it doesn't mean that its true. She had to have planned out what she would say yanno! Causre the whole thing seems planned!

Honestly, I think those people who remember her entry asking what you would think she was arrested for if you saw her in a police car should find out who to contact in this case. That entry and the one after it show 1)she very much DID know what she was doing was wrong, and 2)that there probably WAS some amount of pre-meditation to it. And since the diary has now been deleted, unless Steve has a backup of it that he can give to the authorities, they are going to need that sort of testimony against her.

I see what you're saying. Nothing Emily says is going to excuse what she has done. I guess I'm curious. There is no excuse... There are no reasons... Attention seeking? There are other ways to gain people attention if you need it that bad! I will never understand WHY she did it because I am NORMAL. However, I don't think I'm the only one who is a bit curious to hear all of this from her.......... Nothing she says is going to change my mind and it is the kids I feel for. And her husband and the rest of her family but those poor kids. I feel for her eldest because she is old enough to understand what's going on. I feel for them all and my heart goes out to them. Raff and the kids are in my thoughts.

I don't mean to contradict myself by agreeing with you. I am just curious to hear what she has to say! And yes, there is NO empathy to be had for Emily. She knew the dangers she was inflicting on her baby girl. She KNEW what she was doing. Just why? there are OTHER ways of gaining peoples attention if she was so desperate for attention. Why harm an innocent child?