Lacey Spears, of Scottsville, Kentucky, appeared in court this week, with a prosecutor claiming she liked the attention she got from having a sick child.
Doreen Lloyd, Assistant District Attorney suggested Garnett-Paul’s death had been calculated by his mother.
The prosecutor said: “It seems to go against nature. But Lacey Spears is not like most people.”
Lacey, 27, is said to have heavily documented Garnett’s illness on social media and via a blog, with the prosecutor saying she ‘enjoyed the attention and sympathy’ she received.
It is claimed that Lacey fed salt to five-year-old Garett in a bathroom at Nyack Hospital. She reportedly then waited for the poisoning to work before calling staff, as Garnett writhed and retched.
But defence for Lacey insisted there was no evidence to back up the claims, saying that Lacey had no reason to poison her son.
The prosecution argued that a video showed Lacey and Garnett going to the bathroom twice, and both times he became ill shortly afterwards.
Garnett died of high sodium levels, which caused swelling to his brain, and Lacey’s research into dangers of sodium will be used in evidence.
The defence has insisted there will be no mention of Munchausen by proxy, a disorder which causes carers to harm children for sympathy and attention.