A mother and father have been arrested in South Australia, accused of faking their six-year-old son’s cancer diagnosis in a cruel money-making scam.

The parents, both aged 44, allegedly requested donations to fund ongoing medical treatments for their sick child – raising as much as $60,000 in a two-week period.

However, the boy was healthy.

“The accused shaved their six-year-old child’s head, eyebrows, placed him in a wheelchair with bandages on his head in order to imitate stereotactic radiotherapy treatment,” South Australia Police Acting Assistant Commissioner John De Candia said.

“I couldn’t think of a more devious or cruel scheme that the parents have done to their child.”

Police allege the couple, from Adelaide’s western suburbs, sought cash donations to fund the boy’s medical treatment through a GoFundMe page and through word-of-mouth at their children’s school and community.

“They’ve raised about $60,000 in a relatively short period of time,” De Candia said.

“It’s abhorrent that people would seek to profit from their own personal greed and selfishness from such an insidious condition such as cancer which impact so many families.”

He said it was an “extremely traumatic” incident for the wider community to comprehend.

“It takes away from those in genuine need … it’s disgusting that these types of cases may have an impact on people that genuinely need that assistance,” he said.

The police investigation had confirmed that the boy is not receiving medical treatment.

“We believe that this farce illness is causing serious and significant psychological harm to the child and their sibling,” De Candia said.

SA Police have been investigating since the case was reported on November 26. They have worked with the state’s Department of Child Protection, the boy’s school and Child Protection Services.

“[There were] daily risk safety assessments to ensure the short-term safety of the children involved,” De Candia said.

The boy and his sibling have been removed from their parents’ care and place with a relative.

Their mother and father have each been charged criminal neglect and deception offences. They were refused bail and were due to face court in Adelaide on Friday.

Police are seeking those with information relating to the investigation, as well as those who believe they have donated money to the family. Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.