A 35-year-old woman surnamed Wang (王) has been indicted for allegedly killing her two-month-old son due to postpartum depression in November last year, prosecutors said.
Wang, who lived in Taoyuan’s Pingjhen District (平鎮), allegedly suffocated her son with a blanket before attempting suicide, prosecutors said, adding that she confessed to police shortly after her son’s death.
According to prosecutors, Wang’s husband said in a statement that she had called him, saying: “Our baby is gone,” and telling him that she had wanted to die with their son, but that her suicide attempt had failed.
The Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office last week indicted Wang on murder charges, saying that they are seeking a prison sentence of seven years and six months.
Wang is being detained at the Taipei Women’s Detention Center, prosecutors said.
Wang had been married to her husband, surnamed Liao (廖), for two years when their son was born in September, prosecutors said.
Wang had quit her job to care for their son, while Liao worked as a carpenter, they said.
Wang had been suffering from postpartum depression and emotional instability following their son’s birth, they said.
At about 2pm on Nov. 11, Wang allegedly smothered her son with a blanket until he stopped crying and then, seeing that his eyes were still moving, wrapped his head tightly in a plastic bag to suffocate him, prosecutors said.
Wang then placed the bag over her own head, but removed it before she lost consciousness, they said, adding that she called her husband at about 5pm to tell him what had happened.
Citing Liao’s statement, prosecutors said that Wang told her husband: “If it were possible, I would try [raising my son] again, but it’s too late.”
The charges would increase in severity if Wang were found guilty of contraventions of the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act (兒童及少年福利與權益保障法), prosecutors said.
However, prosecutors said that they would take into account that Wang had surrendered herself to police.
“From her statements, her reactions and language, we found clear evidence that Wang’s postpartum depression had lessened her control over her actions,” prosecutors said. “However, she still had the capacity for discernment.”
The prosecutors said that they would also take into account that Wang lacked an appropriate support network, had no experience or preparation for parenthood, and had no prior convictions.
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