Desperate mum Sue Baxter thought she’d found her guardian angel when she received an offer on Facebook to raise funds for her disabled daughter.
Sue, 36, badly needed an expensive specialist bed for three-year-old Katie, who has devastating genetic condition infantile Parkinsonism – so rare there are believed to be just 25 cases worldwide.
And she was overwhelmed when fellow mum Tracey Smith answered her moving social media plea for help to reach the £3,000 needed.
But mum-of-five Sue was heartbroken when sick Smith, 50, duped scores of well-wishers into donating gifts for a charity auction – then ran off with the proceeds.
It was the start of a nightmare in which the Baxter family faced a hate campaign by locals who believed they had swindled the £5,000 raised.
And it took police four years to nail Smith.
Girl's attempt to fake chicken pox to miss spelling test backfires spectacularly
Sue said: “I trusted Tracey like a friend and she betrayed my daughter. We had to run for our lives when the finger of blame was pointed at us.”
Sue was already mum to Sarah, 20, Charlie, 16, Millie, 14, and 10-year-old Lacey when Katie arrived in 2010.
But only days after the birth, her baby had frightening seizures.
Sue and partner Dan, 22, were told Katie was autistic, deaf in one ear and had epilepsy. Then, after three-and-a-half years of tests, Katie was diagnosed with infantile Parkinsonism.
Sue said: “Katie’s legs were so limp we were warned she may never walk. She had sleep apnoea and would stop breathing when she dropped off. An alarm woke us seven times a night.
“Sometimes she’d have five seizures in a row. We didn’t know if she would live to five or 50.”
As Katie grew, it meant she needed a high-sided medical bed to stop her from falling out.
Man who 'never felt human' now lives his life as a dog in £2,000 fur suit
The family were stunned by the £3,000 cost. Sue, of Freshwater, Isle of Wight, said: “We were scraping by – it might as well have been £3million.”
So she made an appeal on Facebook to raise money and Smith – who lived only 17 miles away – got in touch.
“She told me she was setting up a childrens’ charity, IOW Carousel, and she’d fundraise for Katie,” said Sue.
“She said her son had Parkinson’s and she was determined to raise £6k for a top-end bed.
“There were times when we’d sob down the phone to each other, sharing stories of caring for our poorly children.
“She set up an auction and the whole island rallied round. Donations flooded in – weekend breaks, hampers, TVs, furniture, champagne, festival tickets. The generosity was breathtaking.”
Smith claimed to have raised £3,500 from the auction in December 2013. In early 2014 Smith told Sue the fund had hit £5k through other events.
“But months went by and the money didn’t materialise," said Sue.
“Katie was four and still in her cramped cot. Smith said the cash was in a 90-day ISA. She wouldn’t meet in person, and then cut contact. We called the police.”
Student found ALIVE 3 days after violent stun gun kidnapping - 100 miles away
But as officers investigated Smith’s con, suspicious islanders blamed the family.
Sue, told by police not to talk about the case, was spat at in the street, threatened and had her windows smashed.
The family fled their home after builder Dan’s motorbike tyres were slashed.
Smith skipped off to March, Cambs.
Sue said: “A genuine charity stepped in, and I swallowed my pride and went on Facebook to say police were involved and we were starting again.”
This time they hit the target in 12 weeks. Katie got her new bed in September 2014.
But it was last June before Smith faced magistrates. Police suspected £7,000 was missing, but she admitted taking £1,000 fraudulently.
She got 12 months suspended and had to pay £1,000 compensation.
Sue said: “Katie turns nine on Monday, and is talking and can even walk unaided. Because of people who helped her, Katie can sleep soundly.
“I doubt that’s something Tracey Smith will ever be able to do.”
