A Sydney mother has been spared jail but banned from seeing her son after the toddler had to be put in an induced coma when he ate drugs at the family home.
The two-year-old boy was rushed to hospital in December 2016 with suspected paint poisoning before tests confirmed the child had consumed ice.
His 37-year-old mother was sentenced on Tuesday to a two-year good behaviour bond at Penrith Local Court which heard her failure to disclose what the boy had ingested delayed his life-saving treatment.
A five-year AVO was taken out against the woman on behalf of her son, with magistrate Stephen Corry ordering no contact except as approved by the Family and Community Services minister.
Doctors were originally told the gravely ill toddler had ingested paint thinner at his South Penrith home when he arrived at Nepean Hospital on December 8, police alleged.
Mr Corry said it was one thing to leave a toddler unattended but another to avoid "fessing up" to doctors which prevented treatment for his "significant toxic reaction".
The boy was taken to Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick after his condition worsened but he has since made a full recovery.
He is now three-and-a-half and lives with his grandmother who was in court to support her daughter.
The magistrate found there was nothing to suggest the mother was a drug user. The grandmother revealed her daughter had a "history of bad partners".
Mr Corry said the profoundly remorseful mother, who can't be identified for legal reasons, now suffers PTSD and ongoing psychological issues.
Earlier this year she pleaded guilty to failing to provide for her child causing danger or death. The offence carries a maximum five-year jail term.
She was also fined $500 on Tuesday after pleading guilty to possessing goods suspected of being stolen while in custody. A charge of failing to stop at a red traffic light was withdrawn.
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