Leah A. Frey

State police arrested a Lyndora woman Monday, accusing her of making multiple false reports against her child's father and hurting her child in the process.

Following her arrest, Leah A. Frey, 38, was arraigned by District Judge Kevin O'Donnell on one felony count of child endangerment and one misdemeanor count of making false reports. Frey was placed in Butler County Prison until she posted $25,000 bond Tuesday.

According to charging documents, police were first notified May 13 from a Childline report concerning the couple's daughter.

Frey made at least seven allegations against the father, claiming he was abusing the girl. Police said these allegations were made between May 13 and July 23.

“All allegations were unsubstantiated,” said the investigating officer in the affidavit.

Police said to prove her allegations, Frey took her daughter to multiple hospitals to prove physical abuse, but on all accounts doctors said there were no signs of such abuse. These hospital visits even crossed state lines.

“Frey took her daughter to Ohio on more than one occasion to be examined,” police said.

According to police, Frey also took the girl to therapy sessions; however, the therapist told police Frey was getting in the way of treatment. According to police, the therapist also said Frey appeared to show some signs of Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSP).

The syndrome, according to WebMD, is a relatively rare behavioral disorder that affects a primary caretaker, often the mother. The person with MSP gains attention by seeking medical help for exaggerated or made-up symptoms of a child in their care.

“It is suspected that Frey had caused bruising to the child due to the extensive examinations she was doing to the child,” police said. “The psychotherapist relates the child will only tell (her) mother things, but no one else.”

A preliminary hearing for Frey has been scheduled for Aug. 5 before O'Donnell.