'Mum still believes she was right to fake my illness'
Matthew Johnson, once known as 'Britain's sickest boy,' discusses his decision to remain estranged from his mother after a new documentary revealed she still denies faking his illnesses. His mother, Lisa Hayden-Johnson, previously served jail time for fabricating his medical conditions for financial and social gain.
Why it matters
The case highlights the severe psychological impact of Munchausen syndrome by proxy and the ongoing struggle for victims to find closure when perpetrators refuse to accept accountability.
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Matthew Johnson said watching the documentary solidified his decision not to speak to his mother
As a child, Matthew Johnson was known as "Britain's sickest boy" - but in reality, his illness was just a fantasy made up by his mother to gain publicity and financial rewards.
For six-and-a-half years, Lisa Hayden-Johnson claimed Matthew had a long list of illnesses including diabetes, food allergies, cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis, but years later it emerged she had made it all up.
Hayden-Johnson, from Torbay, Devon, was jailed and Matthew went into foster care and started a new life in Sheffield.
Both were interviewed for a Channel 4 documentary called Love You To Death but after hearing his mother speak, Matthew said he had "mixed emotions" and it reinforced his decision not to speak to her.
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