A special needs teacher and mum of five has admitted to doing the unthinkable.

Tiffany Alberts, 41, has admitted to putting faecal matter into her son's IV drip while he was suffering from cancer.

She has been arrested and charged with six counts of aggravated battery and neglect of a dependent, resulting in serious bodily injury.

Fox 59 reports that Tiffany's 15-year-old son was being treated for leukemia at an Indianapolis hospital in the U.S. when he developed several unexplained infections.

According to court documents doctors set up surveillance cameras in the hospital room.

Here they discovered that Tiffany was injecting her son's IV bag with an unknown substance every day.

Tiffany Alberts has been arrested for putting faecal matter in her son's drip. Image via Fox.

Doctors told investigators that the boy had his first round of chemotherapy and then returned home.

He got sicker when he went home

He was readmitted to hospital with a high fever, diarrhoea and vomiting. He had several operations and spent 18 days in intensive care.

Doctors discovered a blood infection with the same bacteria normally found in human stool.

Tiffany was brought in for questioning and initially said she was injecting water into her son's drip to "flush the line'' because the medicine given to him "burned''.

Then police found a bag in her son's hospital room bathroom with faecal matter in it. Diarrhoea medication and weight loss pills were also found.

This time when detectives brought her in for questioning she admitted to putting the faeces in her child's IV.

Tiffany claimed she did it so he'd be moved to another hospital, where he'd get better treatment.

The protective mother on Facebook

The mother regularly posted to Facebook about her mothering life, where she raised five kids, one with a disability.

In her posts she comes across as a fiercely protective and devoted mother to some very sick kids.

In one post from 2014 she wrote:

“The evening we hit a wall. A new nurse with not much experience let [name removed] go too long without meds that caused a very bad chain reaction for my little guy. We had a meltdown that took almost three hours to calm.

''I think that home is where his heart is and may make recovery a little easier for him''

"You put a little guy in a different environment on top of not feeling well, overtired, and cranky and you are in for a very rough spot for a hurting six-year-old. I think the nurse figured out I knew he needed the meds when I said he did and not when she thought he did. Just sad he was so upset for sooo long.

"On a good note! He is sleeping well right now and hopefully will for a while longer AND we may be going home tomorrow!! I think that home is where his heart is and may make recovery a little easier for him. Thank you all for you prayers! It has been a long couple of days, but hopefully well worth it in the long run. God is Good!”

Her daughter had cancer and her husband died from cancer

Incredibly, Tiffany's 13-year-old was also diagnosed with cancer, which she had removed earlier this year.

Tiffany Alberts with her late husband. Pictures Tiffany Alberts Facebook.

She lost her husband Jason to cancer in May, a month before her son was diagnosed with leukemia.

Her son's health improved once she was removed from the hospital. Doctors said he could have died from septic shock caused by the faecal matter.

Tragically his chances of beating the leukemia have been lessened because doctors had to put the chemo on hold while they determined the source of his blood poisoning.

Tiffany has been released on bond with a no-contact order.