North Texas mother accused of faking cancer, forcing unnecessary medical treatments on daughter

A Tarrant County mother is behind bars after investigators say she lied about her daughter’s health and subjected the girl to unnecessary medical procedures.

Denise Zamora is charged with abusing her daughter for six years.

Investigators told NBC 5 that Zamora faked her own illness too: the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office said the mother shaved her head and pretended to have cancer, and they’re investigating if she committed up to $1 million in Medicaid fraud.

Did you donate to Denise Zamora?

The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office said the woman faked medical conditions affecting herself and her daughter, and they’re looking for anyone who may have sent money to support her.

Officials said for years, Zamora falsely claimed her daughter was nonverbal and needed intensive medical care.

NBC 5 spoke with a mental health expert unaffiliated with the case.

“The trauma of being used by their own mother to gain certain reward, that trauma is abuse,” said Ana Marcela Rodriguez, a licensed marriage and family therapist.

In a news release, Tarrant County investigators said Zamora unnecessarily subjected her daughter to treatments of the drug ketamine and pain treatments, causing her daughter to become addicted.

They said Zamora also falsely told friends and family she had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.

A mental health expert told NBC 5 that behavior like this can be an example of what’s known as Factitious Disorder, previously called Munchausen Syndrome.

“And this disorder is known because of faking diseases sometimes on themselves, but a lot of times on their children,” said Rodriguez.

Experts said people diagnosed with Factitious Disorder can be motivated by a need for the attention that can come with caring for a sick loved one.

Zamora is facing nine felonies, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, serious bodily injury to a child, and endangering a child.

Some say cases like this can have long-term mental and physical impacts on victims.

“All the medical things that are inflicted in the children, unnecessary treatments, unnecessary surgeries, unnecessary medication,” said Rodriguez.

NBC 5 reached out to GoFundMe to ask if they had any active fundraisers set up by Zamora, the company says they don’t.

If you or your organization have sent money to Zamora, you can contact Tarrant County investigators at 817-884-3749.