'Devious and cruel': parents charged over faking child's cancer diagnosis

Police said the school community, friends, family, and well-wishers donated around $60,000 to the couple, a 44-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man from Adelaide's western suburbs, over two weeks.

The couple requested donations to fund the ongoing medical treatment of their child, police said.

"It will be alleged that the accused shaved their six-year-old child's head and eyebrows, and placed them in a wheelchair with bandages to imitate stereotactic radiotherapy treatment," acting assistant commissioner John DeCandia said.

"Our investigation has confirmed the child is not seeking medical treatment. We believe this farce illness is causing significant and serious psychological harm to the child and their sibling," he said.

The boy and his sibling have been removed from their parents' care and are being looked after by a family member. Both children are receiving daily risk safety assessments.

"I couldn't think of a more devious and cruel scheme that the parents have done to their own child," acting assistant commissioner DeCandia said.

"It's abhorrent that people would seek to profit for their own personal greed and selfishness from an insidious condition such as cancer that impacts so many families in our community," he said.

The couple have been charged with two counts of criminal neglect and deceiving another to benefit themselves.

They were refused police bail and will appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on December 13.

Police are seeking anyone with information relating to this investigation, or if they believe they have donated money to the family. You can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or attend a police station.