THE Valencia Provincial Court acquitted a 36-year-old woman accused of murdering her one-year-old baby on February 27, 2023. The accused suffered a postpartum psychosis This led him to end his son’s life after causing him three injuries. with a knife in the neck, chest and right wrist. This caused acute hemorrhage which led to his death.
At the time of the incident, the woman was alone with the child in the family home, located in the Valencian town of Vilamarxant. After this episode, attempted suicide jumping from the roof of the building where they lived.
The acquittal is based, as indicated in the judgment handed down by the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community, on the fact that the woman had, at the time of the events, her cognitive and volitional faculties completely nullified due to a psychopathological picture of postpartum psychosis
The First Section of the Valencia Court now dictates the sentence of acquittal for a crime of murder after the prosecution and the defense attorney presented a joint brief of conclusions with the consent of the accused herself. For its part, The baby’s father has waived any type of compensation this might suit him.
The Court thus applies to women the complete defence of mental disorders, but imposes supervised release as a security measure with the obligation to submit to forced external medical treatment for a maximum period of five years.
