A Sydney naturopath has admitted giving extreme dietary advice to a breastfeeding mother who almost starved her eight-month-old baby to death, 30 years on from facing a manslaughter charge related to her controversial methods.
Marilyn Bodnar, 61, of Leppington, pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court on Friday to aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the mother in failing to provide for her child, who had extreme eczema.
When the mother took her eight-month-old son to hospital in 2015, he weighed just 6.5kg, was emaciated and severely dehydrated, had sunken eyes, dangerously low sodium levels and flexed hands and feet.
Sydney naturopath Marilyn Bodnar has admitted giving extreme dietary advice to a breast-feeding mother who almost starved her eight-month-old baby to death
‘Had he not presented at hospital at that time, he would have died within days,’ Magistrate Ian Guy said during his sentencing of the mother at Campbelltown Local Court last August.
Bodnar had previously denied the more serious charge of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm to the baby and failing to provide for a child causing danger of death between February and May 2015.
The mother was given a 14-month good-behaviour bond for failing to provide care for her child, with the magistrate taking into account her agreement to give evidence against Bodnar at her then-expected trial.
The explanation for his condition was that the woman had been treating her son for severe eczema.
The infant was often covered in blood from scratching his eczema and the washing line was constantly full of bloodied sheets that had to be washed, a close friend of the mother said in evidence.
The local court was told Bodnar advised a ‘raw food diet’ and eventually ‘water only’ for the woman, who was exclusively breastfeeding her son.
At one point, she modified the water-only rule by eating only watermelon for three days.
She advised a water only diet to the breast-feeding mother to help with her son’s eczema, but the advice left the eight-month-old boy days from death
The case follows Bodnar’s acquittal in 1987 for the manslaughter of Narelle Niemann (pictured), who died after 63 days on a water-only diet
The mother’s lawyer had submitted she was a loving mother who was desperate to put an end to her son’s discomfort and, after orthodox medical treatments failed to improve his condition, sought advice from the naturopath.
The case follows Bodnar’s acquittal in 1987 for the manslaughter of Narelle Niemann who died after 63 days on a water-only diet.
She had been fasting on the advice of Bodnar as she planned to detox her body ready to have another child, The Daily Telegraph reported.
During her treatment, Ms Niemann lost 21kg and became so weak she could only move around on her hands and knees.
Yet Bodnar was found not guilty after her lawyers argued she was helping Ms Niemann as a friend as opposed to a patient.
Thirty years on Bodnar faces another conviction related to her controversial methods and is due to face a sentence hearing on March 29.
Thirty years on Bodnar faces another conviction related to her controversial methods and is due to face a sentence hearing on March 29