Matthew Johnson, who was famously labeled "Britain's sickest boy" as a child, has spoken out about the prolonged deception orchestrated by his mother, Lisa Hayden-Johnson. For six and a half years, Hayden-Johnson claimed her son suffered from a range of serious illnesses, including diabetes, cerebral palsy, and cystic fibrosis. These claims were later exposed as fabricated, leading to Johnson's jailing and Matthew entering foster care.
Now living in Sheffield, Matthew Johnson recently reflected on his mother's past actions in light of a Channel 4 documentary, "Love You To Death." He described having "mixed emotions" after hearing his mother's perspective, which he stated reinforced his decision not to speak with her. "When I could see, even after two decades... she still holds the same story and believes that she did the best by me... that obviously isn't right," Johnson told the BBC, expressing disappointment and frustration at the continued lack of accountability from his mother.
Hayden-Johnson, then 35, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison at Exeter Crown Court in 2010. The court heard that her fabricated claims began shortly after Matthew was born prematurely in 2001 and required a feeding tube. Despite his recovery, his mother persisted with the narrative of his severe illness.