A 22-year-old Malaysian student namely, Jia Xin Teo has been convicted of murder by the Warwick Crown Court in the United Kingdom (UK) for causing the death of her newborn baby. Jia, who arrived in the UK earlier this year to pursue her studies, had concealed her pregnancy. On March 4, she gave birth alone in her bathroom to a full-term baby. She then placed the newborn, who was alive and still moving, into a cereal box, sealed it in a plastic bag, and hid it inside a suitcase.

The tragic incident came to light when Jia's health deteriorated, prompting her to seek medical assistance. When hospital staff questioned her, she initially denied having given birth. However, a medical test confirmed her recent delivery, leading the hospital to alert the authorities. Two days later, during questioning, Jia confessed, revealing that she was afraid her family and friends in Malaysia would discover her pregnancy. Police then discovered the infant’s body in her bedroom.

During the trial, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) disclosed that Jia claimed to have heard voices telling her to dispose of the baby. However, the jury at Warwick Crown Court rejected her defense, determining that she had made the deliberate choice to place her baby in the cereal box with full awareness of the consequences.

"Baby Teo was alive after birth and could have survived, but Jia Xin Teo made the decision to place her inside a cereal box, knowing that it would kill her,” James Leslie Francis, a representative from the CPS, stated. He added, “She lied to friends, doctors, and police, concealing her actions until two days had passed, by which time the baby would certainly be dead."

Source / Image Credit : Sinar Daily