21-year-old woman finally speaks about how her mom made her fake cancer as a child

"My biggest fear was being separated from my family. At that age, I hadn’t got to grips with what death was, but I knew it would mean I wouldn’t be with my parents and that terrified me. I began to fear being alone at night and would beg to sleep in my parents’ room, but mom would say no."

"Out of the blue, it all ended as suddenly as it had begun when Mom, Dad and Grandma were all arrested. One of my teachers had noticed my hair was growing back fuzzily but evenly, instead of the patchy regrowth chemo patients experience. She became suspicious and reported my mom to the local family services department."

"When confronted, mom admitted right away to faking my cancer and scamming the community out of $31,000 (£23,000). She was put in a psychiatric hospital, while dad was released on bail. ‘You’re not sick anymore,’ he wept, hugging me. I was so happy I wasn’t going to die. But my relief was short-lived as I was put into foster care."