Seven-year-old girl from Texas, who had been struggling with severe health issues, finally got some answers, but not in the way anyone expected. For months, doctors were puzzled. She had ulcers in her digestive system and damage to her colon and intestines, yet nothing fit a typical medical diagnosis.
Then, her family came up with a shocking idea: what if her grandmother, who had been caring for her, was the cause of her suffering? As investigators dug deeper, they discovered something unthinkable.
Police in Tarrant County found that 56-year-old Lisa Campbell-Goins had been intentionally harming her granddaughter. According to an affidavit, she was putting an alkaline-like substance, possibly a degreaser, into the girl’s feeding tube. The authorities determined this was a case of Munchausen by proxy syndrome—a condition where a caregiver deliberately causes illness in someone to gain attention or sympathy.
Campbell-Goins had cared for the girl since she was an infant. But when the girl started experiencing dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea in August 2023, Campbell-Goins took her to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. Doctors, stumped by her symptoms, eventually inserted a feeding tube for medication. Campbell-Goins reportedly insisted they use the tube for feeding too. While the girl’s condition initially improved, she would quickly get worse again.
In January 2024, the girl’s family reached out to the police, suspecting Campbell-Goins was poisoning her. Hospital staff removed Campbell-Goins from the premises since she wasn’t the girl’s legal guardian. Almost immediately, the girl’s health started to improve.
Investigators later found evidence that Campbell-Goins had been putting Mean Green Degreaser down the girl’s feeding tube. They also discovered fingernail polish remover in the bedrooms of both Campbell-Goins and her granddaughter, suggesting it might have been used as well. To make matters worse, detectives suspect Campbell-Goins had been using sedatives to control the girl.
Shockingly, this isn’t the first time Campbell-Goins has been accused of harming a child. Back in 1999, she allegedly overmedicated her son and was ordered to take parenting classes.
Detectives believe Campbell-Goins might have been seeking sympathy to raise money through a GoFundMe page. They are asking anyone who donated to contact Detective Michael Weber at the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.
Campbell-Goins was arrested last week on charges including injury to a child, unlawful restraint, and exploitation of a child. She is currently in the Tarrant County Corrections Center with a bond set at $150,000.
The girl, now away from her grandmother’s care, is reportedly recovering well. This heartbreaking case serves as a reminder to remain vigilant about the well-being of vulnerable individuals.