After the death of a baby in Salzburg: 16 years in prison for mother

2023-08-09 14:59:34

The 20-year-old mother was sentenced to 16 years in prison for murder and continued violence. The 25-year-old father received twelve years unconditional imprisonment for continued violence through omission and for bodily harm resulting in death through omission. According to the judgment, which is not final, the baby’s mother will also be housed in a forensic therapeutic center. The defendant’s defense lawyers asked for time to think things over, but the prosecutor made no statement. The fact that the mother of the child was under 21 at the time of the crime and that she had been diagnosed with a personality disorder was considered by the jury as a mitigating factor. Presiding judge Bettina Maxones-Kurkowski said after the verdict was pronounced that the baby had endured martyrdom for most of his life.

Parents blamed each other

The Salzburg public prosecutor accused the mother as the direct perpetrator and the father as a contributor by omission. The parents of the seven-week-old boy denied the murder charge. They explained that the other had abused the little boy. The mother finally said there was something she could have done to prevent her boyfriend from abusing the child. The 25-year-old admitted his complicity. It violated the duty of care by not calling a doctor when he observed abuse by the mother and later also noticed that the child had stopped drinking.

Shaken and slapped up to ten times

According to the indictment, the boy was shaken and slapped seven to ten times on October 22nd. Prosecutor Elena Haslinger explained that the child died of massive injuries to the meninges and brain due to lack of oxygen. The baby was also abused by the mother over a longer period of time, from the end of September to October 21.

The woman hit her son several times in the face with the palm of her hand, shook him and choked him until he turned bluish “when she had a bad day,” the prosecutor said. She said she didn’t want a child, was overwhelmed with motherhood and refused to touch, bathe, change diapers or feed the baby. She also reacted aggressively when she cried.

Because her boyfriend at the time noticed the crimes, but did nothing to protect his son, although this would have been his obligation as a father, he was charged as a contributor by omission. The parents did not attend a pediatrician’s appointment on October 20 because they feared that the doctor might have noticed the abuse. The baby had already suffered twitches and cramps and stopped drinking from the bottle.

A sworn expert found that the mother had a significant personality disorder and a lack of empathy. The psychiatrist recommended admission to a forensic therapy center.

“No, I didn’t help him”

The 20-year-old said at the beginning of the trial that the allegations against her were not true. She never hit her son and never abused her. Her boyfriend at the time committed the crimes, who was very possessive and jealous and also hit her. She tried to intervene, but each time received a slap in the face. When asked by the presiding judge whether she had the impression that she had done everything right with her son, she admitted: “No, I didn’t help him.” She pleaded guilty to injunctive relief.

The 25-year-old’s defense attorney said the accused was under the wing of the 20-year-old. He had always assumed that she would end the abuse. The suspect has two other children. “He has a good relationship with them, he is a loving father.” The defendant himself said that his girlfriend had been careless with the baby. He took care of him, always prepared the bottle and bathed him. He has already done something wrong, but never harmed the boy. He should have called a doctor for help when he realized that he had stopped drinking. When the boy lay lifeless in bed, he called the emergency services. But for the child, any help came too late.

The two accused are currently in custody.