KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar BluffChild at center of medical-abuse case placed with new family

Child at center of medical-abuse case placed with new family

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(Source: KHOU) (Source: KHOU)

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HOUSTON (KHOU) – A 7-year-old boy whose parents are accused of medical abuse was placed with a new family Monday in a Houston courtroom.

From the moment Landon Weber was born, his mother said he was very sick. At the age of two, Landon was on oxygen and had to be fed through a tube. He was diagnosed with a rare lung disease.

For years, Landon's mother and father took him from doctor to doctor, seeking treatment for a serious illness. The Make a Wish Foundation, thinking he was dying, even sent him to Disney World.

Landon was constantly in and out of hospitals in three different states. But now, investigators say the child was never really sick.

Houston doctors began closely looking at Landon's medical history and comparing notes. That's when they noticed there were a lot of inconsistencies. It appeared the parents were making up his illnesses to look like heroes. It's known as Munchausen by proxy.

"You know Munchausen isn't formally defined. We worked with it as a medical child-abuse case," said Valerie Brock. She was the court's chief prosecutor when the investigation began.

"He had unnecessary surgeries, countless small things like being stuck with a needle," she said.

Judge John Phillips appointed a group of experts to find the truth.

The Webers, who are still under investigation, had their parental rights taken away, and on Monday, Landon -- represented by ad-litem attorney Michael Craig -- was given a new mom and dad.

Information from KHOU.com

Copyright 2012 KHOU-TV. All rights reserved.

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