Cynthia Abcug: Munchausen by proxy mom, 53, plotted to kidnap son, 7, with help of QAnon supporters
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO: Cynthia Lee Abcug, 53, was found guilty of medically abusing and plotting to kidnap her seven-year-old son, now 10, from a foster home with the help of QAnon supporters. Abcug has been convicted of second-degree kidnapping and child abuse.
Authorities said that this began in early 2019 when the 53-year-old mother lost custody of her son. According to a news release from the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, in 2019, Abcug’s son was removed from her care. Before the removal, Abcug claimed her son suffered from seizures, heart problems, and a brain tumor, and that he was dying. However, two doctors, including the child’s pediatrician, said there were no signs her son was suffering from any of the issues. Prosecutors said, as quoted by Law&Crime, "The investigation found Abcug subjected her son to medical child abuse, commonly known as Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, and then plotted to kidnap him from the foster home where he was living after he was removed from her care. Evidence showed shortly after her son’s removal, Abcug planned to take her son back with assistance from unknown individuals, possibly QAnon, a far-right political and conspiracy theory movement.”
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According to the DA’s Office, Abcug said her daughter, who still lives with her and was 16 at that time, reported the conspiracy to the police. The daughter told that her mother got involved with a man named Ryan, who was "definitely a part of QAnon," as per DailyMail.
According to The Associated Press, the defense maintained at trial that authorities had no evidence of the kidnapping plot and that the state’s case was based on the daughter’s statement. Announcing the verdict, Chief Deputy DA Gary Dawson said, "Abcug’s daughter who was 16 at the time, and her adult son made the difficult, yet admirable decision to testify against their mother about what they had witnessed and heard about the conspiracy to kidnap their brother."
John Kellner, district attorney of Colorado’s 18th Judicial District, told in the release, "Ms Abcug’s son was lawfully removed from her custody in order to protect him from imminent danger. There’s no telling what may have happened to that little boy if the kidnapping plot had succeeded.”
Abcug was arrested in Montana in December 2019 and according to DailyMail, she will be sentenced on October 6, 2022, leading her to six years of imprisonment.