“So… perhaps “munchhausen (non-existant illness) Mom” was right after all? Perhaps the life and family of this lovely woman (I know her personally) were ruined, probably forever, thanks to a horrific mistake?”
Perhaps.
Like evreything else look into what both sides say and what evidence they each present. (Not what each sides opponents say the other side’s evidence is) without coloring it with your personel biases (such as I know her and she is sooooo nice) and then decide. You may be suprised what you come up with.