Court acquits Steenwijk woman of killing her newborn, disposing of the body

A 20-year-old woman from Steenwijk was acquitted of killing her newborn on Tuesday by the court in Overijssel. The newborn’s body was found in a garbage bag a few days after the birth. She was also acquitted of charges related to disposing of the body.

The then 19-year-old Christin van B. gave birth in the attic room of her parents’ home during the evening hours of August 16, leading into August 17, to a baby named Angel. She claims that she was unaware that she was pregnant. Although prosecutors have said that her searches online included “pregnancy” and “home birth” in the days leading up to the birth.

According to the suspect, the baby had died shortly after the birth, after which she put the body in a garbage bag and hid it in a suitcase. Van B. fainted shortly after the birth, which she did in silence and with the use of the internet. When she came back to consciousness, she saw that the baby was not breathing and had no pulse. Although an investigation by the Netherlands Forensic Insitute proved that the baby was alive after the birth, the court cannot disprove that the child had already passed away at that moment.

It has not been determined how the baby came to pass away. “This is why it is impossible to determine whether there is a connection between the death and possible intention from the suspect,” the court stated.

The suspect knew her mother needed the suitcase, which had the baby's remains in two days after the birth had taken place. She took the plastic bag out of the suitcase and kept it under the desk in her room. Van B. knew that her mother also had access to this room. According to the court, this does not indicate that the death was concealed by disposing of the body.

A total of 40 months in prison had been recommended as a punishment by prosecutors. Van B. was not present at the hearing.