Former Esperance resident and alleged fraudster, Sarah Jayne Kelly, 29, was extradited from NSW last weekend and faced court on charges of reckless conduct that may have caused suffering to a child in her care and non-appearance in court.
Police say in one instance she had a feeding tube inserted in her child’s mouth, which medical staff removed a year later at the Perth Children’s Hospital as “nothing was wrong”.
Kelly was refused bail in the Perth District Court on Monday and remains in custody at the Bandyup Women’s Prison. She is due to face court for sentencing in Perth on April 24.
It is the second time she has faced court over the same charges this year.
In February Kelly pleaded guilty at the Esperance District Court but just days before her sentencing, she fled to the eastern states with her husband Jacob Kelly, 30, and their children.
Police said Kelly concocted elaborate scams in which she falsely characterised herself and her children as victims of cancer, leukaemia, eating disorders and other severe illnesses to obtain funds and other assets.
She set up GoFundMe pages and Facebook pages and Police said businesses in town had a lot of fraudulent dealings with her.
Police said Kelly’s alleged wrongdoings could potentially be traced back further as she had a warrant issued in May 2018 on a charge of fraud, and a further warrant issued in May 2018 for her arrest.
A GoFundMe page from 2021 was set up by Kelly’s friend on her behalf. In the description Kelly claimed her son was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia for the second time that year. They raised more than $2000 from that post.
A man who said he knew the Kelly family from their time in Queensland commented on the page.
“I paid five bucks just so I could let you all know that this lady Sarah Kelly is a thief and con artist,” he wrote.
“She stole $25k from me in Qld during the sale of a motor vehicle, was charged with three counts of fraud and then fled.
“It’s kind of sad, I actually hope that this GoFundMe is also just a lie, because no one wants to see a child suffer like this, but at the same time this poor kids’ parents are criminals.
“The police will catch up with you one day…”
Police said during their time in Esperance they got a lot of people feeling sorry for them and were given a lot of freebies through the Catholic church where they were baptised.
