She gave birth in the bathroom and left the baby. The 23-year-old was charged

Investigators changed the classification of the act

The tragedy occurred in July 2024 in one of the apartments in the center of Białystok. Initially, the prosecutor's office investigated the murder of the child by its mother during childbirth due to its course. Such an act is punishable by up to five years in prison.

After collecting evidence, including expert opinions and analyzing the contents of the 23-year-old's phone, investigators concluded that the case was much more serious.

The woman was charged with murder with intent. This means that - in the opinion of the prosecutor's office - she anticipated the possibility of the child's death and agreed to such a consequence.

She looked for ways to terminate her pregnancy on the Internet

As Marek Winnicki, spokesman for the District Prosecutor's Office in Białystok, told PAP on Thursday, the investigation findings show that the woman hid her pregnancy and did not use medical care.

Investigators analyzed, among others: the 23-year-old's activity on the Internet. She was supposed to look for information about drugs that could speed up labor or harm the fetus.

She was looking for drugs on the Internet that would speed up labor or harm the fetus, the prosecutor said.

Shortly before giving birth, the woman allegedly obtained an illegal prescription online for preparations containing substances that accelerate labor. Then she took them. According to the prosecutor's findings, she induced labor in this way.

The baby was born in the bathroom

A 23-year-old woman gave birth in the bathroom, on the toilet. According to investigators, she left her newborn baby there. The child died of suffocation.

The woman's partner called an ambulance. The man was also charged. The prosecutor's office accuses him of exposing the newborn to a direct threat of loss of life or health.

The point is that he did not help the child, despite the instructions given by the emergency dispatcher during a telephone conversation.

When the services arrived at the apartment, the child was still in the toilet bowl. Neither the mother nor the partner took the child out, said Marek Winnicki.

The newborn could have survived

Autopsy results showed that the birth occurred between the 32nd and 34th week of pregnancy. The child was born alive and - according to experts - would have had a chance to survive if the pregnancy had been under medical supervision and if she had received specialized neonatal care after birth.

The proceedings took a long time due to the need to obtain specialist opinions, including in the field of gynecology and forensic medicine. Investigators also determined how the 23-year-old obtained a prescription for drugs online.

The woman faces life imprisonment

The suspect pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. The prosecutor's office requested her temporary arrest, but the court did not grant this request. The investigators' complaint against the first-instance court's decision was also rejected. Libertarian measures are applied to the woman, including police supervision.

The 23-year-old's partner admitted to the crime and provided explanations. In his case, police surveillance was also imposed.

The 23-year-old may face up to life imprisonment for the murder charge. Her partner faces up to five years in prison.