BAPD: Woman Arrested For Exaggerating Son’s Illness To Get Pain Pills, Cash

A Broken Arrow woman turned herself into jail Friday after police got a warrant for her arrest for Munchausen by Proxy, involving her 8-year-old son.

The boy has been in protective custody the past five months.

Munchausen by Proxy is when you either make your kid sick or exaggerate their sickness; and, generally, the motive is you want attention.

But, police say, in this case, Jennifer Cantlin exaggerated her son's sickness because she wanted his pain pills and cash.

Police say Cantlin took her son to numerous doctors and hospitals, saying he had terrible stomach pain.

They say for the past four years, he's had his tonsils, a gallbladder and an appendix removed, plus, repeated tests, scopes and biopsies trying to locate the source of that pain.

They say he was even made to use a wheelchair for months.

Detective Eric Bentz with the Broken Arrow Police Department said, "When the child abuse expert doctor reviewed it there was no diagnosis he needs to be in a wheelchair."

Doctors say the boy does have a stomach condition but not one that would have the symptoms being described, and certainly not requiring the amount of pain killers they say Cantlin requested.

Police say Cantlin texted friends to request pain killers, plus, was prescribed more than 2,000 pain pills in the past three years from 19 different doctors; and her son was prescribed more than 3,000 pain pills from 15 doctors.

"I was very shocked," Bentz said.

The detective said he also discovered three Go Fund Me pages Cantlin created to raise money for her son's illness, and raised $20,000 even though police say the boy is covered by insurance and has no co-pays for his medications.

Bentz said, "Yes, she's receiving money and funds, but, at the same time, there's a whole lot of attention, excitement around gathering that many people together, praying, calling and checking on you, asking about your son, want updates and follow ups."

The affidavit says since the boy was put into protective custody he's had no medical issues.