Kochi newborn death: HC grants bail to 23-year-old mother

Kochi: The High Court has granted bail to a 23-year-old woman accused of murdering her newborn by flinging the baby down from the fifth floor of a flat at Vidya Nagar in Panampilly Nagar here. In reviewing her bail application, the High Court bench, led by Justice C S Dias granted her bail under strict conditions.

The tragic incident occurred on May 3, when passers-by spotted the infant's body near the apartment, wrapped in a plastic envelope from an online delivery company. CCTV footage later confirmed that the body had fallen from the apartment. Investigators tracked the accused by scanning the barcode on the courier cover.

During interrogation, the woman revealed that she became pregnant by a man she met online. Based on her statement, the police have also charged the man with rape. The woman had concealed her pregnancy from her parents. She gave birth in her apartment bathroom at 5 am and, in a panic, threw the baby out by 8 am after her mother knocked on her door.

Reports indicated that she also confessed to attempting to strangle the baby with a shawl before throwing it out. Without post-delivery care, the woman weakened and was soon admitted to a hospital. She received treatment for about a month, along with counselling for her mental condition. Meanwhile, the High Court is currently considering an anticipatory bail application from the man who impregnated her.