A 22-year-old Malaysian student, Teo Jia Xin, has been convicted of murder in Britain after admitting to killing her newborn baby. The case has drawn widespread attention due to the tragic nature of the crime and the disturbing details that emerged during the trial.
Teo, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was sentenced after the body of her baby was discovered hidden in a cereal box inside a suitcase. According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Teo carried the baby to full term and gave birth on March 4. Instead of seeking medical help, she took horrifying steps to conceal the birth and the baby's death.
According to TheStar, prosecutors revealed that after giving birth, Teo placed the newborn in a cereal box, then sealed it in a plastic bag before storing it in a suitcase. The baby was still alive after birth, and the court heard that Teo was aware the child would die when placed in the box.
The discovery came after West Midlands police were called to Teo's residence. Hospital staff had become suspicious two days earlier when she visited showing signs of having recently given birth. When asked by medical personnel if she had delivered a baby, Teo denied it. However, under police questioning, she later confessed to having given birth and hiding the baby's body.
During the trial, Teo's defense argued that she had been experiencing auditory hallucinations, claiming that voices had instructed her to dispose of the baby. However, the jury rejected this defense, finding that she had deliberately concealed the pregnancy and had opportunities to seek help but chose not to.
James Leslie Francis, a representative of the CPS, noted that Teo had arrived in Britain knowing she would likely give birth. Despite this, she kept her pregnancy a secret, avoiding assistance and ultimately committing the tragic act to prevent anyone from discovering her baby.
This case highlights the devastating consequences of isolation and the need for mental health support and intervention in cases involving unplanned pregnancies. Teo's conviction brings an end to a deeply tragic event that has shocked both Malaysia and Britain.
Source: TheStar
