- Title: A Mother's Love
- Date: 15th July 2003
- Description:SEE RECORD 103138 FOR SHOTLIST Cutting Edge investigates the story of the mother,Teresa (Terri) Milbrant,who pretended her daughter,Hannah Milbrant,had leukaemia in order to raise money for herself. The programme interviews friends,neighbours and local businesses from the small town of Urbana in Ohio,who all gave generous donations to the family when they heard that they had no medical insurance. Terri Milbrant had her daughter's head shaved regularly and made her wear hats and a surgical mask for protection. Hannah was told that she had a serious illness and everyone was amazed at how well she coped. Her mother would give her a big blue pill which she thought was part of her medication but was actually an over-the-counter sleeping pill. Then Terri would drive her daughter to the clinic and back,telling her when she woke up that she had been to therapy. Just before being found out Terri and her husband Robert (Bob) Milbrant visited a mental health facility where Terri was diagnosed as having Munchausen by Proxy disorder which is when a person fabrictes or exaggerates an illness usually in their child in order to get attention. Due to this diagnoses Terri is pleading not guilty on grounds of insanity much to the outrage of the Urbana towns' people who have been left $30,000 out of pocket. Bob Milbrant also awaits trial but pleads not guilty saying,somewhat unconvincingly,that he was fooled by his wife along with everyone else. Hannah has been put into foster care whilst Bob continues to live with wife Terri,saying he does not feel bitter towards her because he understands she has an illness. Terri's mum is also on trail and whilst both she and Bob claim they didn't know that Hannah wasn't really ill,neither of them show any remorse for what happened or how it might have effected the real victim of this story,seven-year-old Hannah. Narrator: Ken Scott Produced and Directed by: Iain Scollay
- Broadcaster:Channel 4
- Collection: Channel 4
- Genre:Documentary and Factual
- Producer:Mentorn Barraclough Carey Productions Ltd.
- Programme Episode:Episode 1
- Transmission Date:15/07/2003
- Rights:On Request
- Decade: 2000s