Mother in court: Shocking killing of a newborn in Vienna!

Mother in court: Shocking killing of a newborn in Vienna!

On May 25, 2025, a sensational procedure against a 21-year-old woman who is accused of killing her newborn son begins at the Vienna Regional Court. The incident occurred on December 9, 2024 in a hotel in Vienna-Simmering, where the mother, who apparently had not noticed her pregnancy, checked in with her four-year-old partner. The woman brought a healthy boy to the world, whom she still killed during the birth by lacing his neck with both hands. A serious psychological background was confirmed by an expert opinion that certifies that it was in a psychological state.

The charges accuses the woman according to § 79 StGB's killing a child at the birth and disruption of the rest of the dead. Media reporting on such cases is often emotional and passionate, which makes the legal context significant. Attorney Oliver Marson, who deals with cases of child killing at birth (neonatizide), notes that the causes of such acts are diverse. These range from mental disorders to social and religious factors to a deep displacement or rejection mechanism of pregnancy.

The circumstances of the birth

the day before the birth there was a fall birth where the child suddenly fell on the toilet. According to reports, the mother wiped the blood with bathing and towels and wrapped the newborn that had already died in a garbage bag. It almost had been discovered by the hotel's cleaning staff. Instead of leaving the body in a reasonable place, she disposed of it in a container where it was found the following day.

legal framework and social effects

In Austria, § 79 StGB regulates the child's killing at birth and provides for a prison sentence of six months to five years, with the mental constitution of the mother into account. According to the definition of Wikipedia, "child killing" (infanticide) denotes the killing of a child by a parent during or after birth. Neonatizide, especially, is the killing of a child within 24 hours of birth.

statistics show that between two thirds and three quarters of the child's killings are committed by biological mothers. It is noteworthy that this topic is not only up to date, but was also shaped by historical practices in different cultures. A rethinking in society, especially since the 18th century, has started to consider these actions in the context of emergencies and psychological crises.

In this case, the determination of individual guilt will be crucial for the sentence, whereby the defense relies on sensitive and understanding argument in order to illuminate the special circumstances of the childbearing mother. Attorney Marson emphasizes how important it is to understand emotional and psychological pressure under which such acts are done.

With the upcoming process, the focus not only comes into focus, but also the social and legal dimensions of child killing. The legal processing of such acts is a sensitive topic that raises profound questions about the role of mothers, social norms and mental illnesses.