Lisa Hayden-Johnson

Lisa Hayden-Johnson is a British woman who was living in Brixham, Devon, when she gained notoriety for having fabricated her son Matthew's severe illnesses for much of his early life, She was eventually convicted of child cruelty and other offences and was imprisoned. The case is an example of factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA or FII), a form of abuse where a caregiver exaggerates or induces medical conditions in someone under their care in order to gain attention and sympathy.

Background and crimes Hayden-Johnson's son Matthew was born in 2001. Shortly after her son's birth, Hayden-Johnson began claiming he was afflicted with numerous severe health problems, including cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and severe food allergies. In the ensuing years, Matthew underwent over 325 medical encounters and numerous hospital visits, and was sometimes made to use a wheelchair when in public and to eat mainly through feeding tubes. Matthew was sometimes referred to in the media as the "illest child in the country".

Impact and aftermath Lisa's son Matthew, whose identity was protected at the time of the trial, has reportedly been recovering from the years of unnecessary medical treatment he endured. Lisa also has a daughter named Laura, who was not subjected to the same level of abuse.

In 2026 Channel 4 released a 3-part documentary called "I Love You To Death", which included interviews with Lisa Hayden-Johnson, police and health professionals as well as Matthew and Laura Johnson telling their side of the story.