Elyse Knowles slammed for posting photos of her daughter, one, unclothed and covered in chickenpox on Instagram: ‘What was she thinking?’

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Elyse Knowles is facing significant criticism online after posting pictures of her 16-month-old daughter, Java, who has chickenpox and is pictured without clothes.

The model, a mom to five-year-old Sunny and two-year-old Zaii, posted photos on her Instagram Stories Tuesday. She mentioned her family has been dealing with illness for the past month.

She exclaimed her shock and dismay, writing that it had been a difficult month for her daughter, who had come down with chickenpox, and shared a photo showing how severe the blisters were.

‘This is the good area on her body. Her private parts are covered,’ she added.

She also shared her gratitude for her fiancé, Josh Barker, saying he helped them get through a difficult time. She then noted how helpful it would be to live closer to family.

Everyone in the family has been sick – they’ve each had the flu twice, three cases of chickenpox, and one sinus infection. She said they’re really hoping to finally get well.

Elyse posted a photo of Java, a possum, showing a rash on its back. She explained that Java hasn’t been able to sleep for two nights because the rash is so irritating, only managing short naps before waking up.

People have strongly criticized the mother of three, with one commenter writing on a recent photo: “How could you post a picture of your child like that on your story? You should be protecting her, not exposing her like that!”

People expressed strong disapproval, with one user asking, “What was she thinking? That’s not okay.” Another commenter was shocked that someone would post nude photos of their child online, stating, “As parents, we have a responsibility to protect our children at all costs, and that post was completely inappropriate.”

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Elyse for comment.

Josh and Elyse embrace a free-spirited, outdoorsy life, and they frequently go camping with their kids.

Elyse recently told The Daily Telegraph how much she loves being outside. She explained that she grew up camping with her family, who always prioritized disconnecting from daily life and enjoying nature.

She explained that they’ve continued this tradition with their own children, focusing on teaching them to value nature, be respectful of the outdoors, and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.

Over on Reddit, users were equally as outraged. 

Someone commented that they feel sorry for her children, explaining that while she gets to decide what personal details are made public, her children don’t have that same choice.

‘Just saw this too and thought is this girl out of her mind?!?’ another added. 

Elyse and Josh rose to fame when they were crowned winners of The Block in 2017. 

In 2019, the couple famously left Melbourne for Byron Bay, hoping to find a more peaceful and private life.

They bought a $2.3 million beach house in a New South Wales coastal town in May 2020 and then renovated it.

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2026-04-28 09:09