A mum who murdered her baby girl after growing afraid that the newborn would affect her studies at university has been jailed for life.
Jia Xin Teo, 22, put the full-term infant’s body in a cereal box and hid it in a suitcase moments after giving birth in Coventry on March 4.
Teo was convicted of murder last week and today given a minimum prison term of 17 years by Judge Mrs Justice Tipples.
Judge Tipples told the court that she was sure that Teo had planned to kill the baby after giving birth in private.
The crime was discovered by police who were called to an address in Raglan Street following concerns raised after Teo arrived at hospital showing signs of having given birth.
She had denied doing so when asked by staff.
Officers who went to the address two days later found the baby girl’s body in a cereal box, which in turn had been placed in a plastic bag and then a suitcase.
Teo later admitted to having given birth and said she was scared in case her family and friends back home in Malaysia found out and it affected her studies.
She also claimed to have heard voices telling her to dispose of the child – an assertion which was rejected by the judge.
The Coventry University student had kept her pregnancy secret from her flatmates at their halls of residence and did not even tell the baby’s father back in her homeland.
She was found guilty of murder by a jury at Warwick Crown Court on Friday.
In her sentencing remarks at the hearing, Judge Tipples said: ‘You knew that, by sealing that plastic bag, your baby would certainly die and you thought that, by hiding her body in a cereal packet in your luggage, no one would ever find her body.
‘I am sure that your baby was alive for over four hours before you killed her.
‘I am sure you decided to give birth all on your own as you were determined that no one should know you were pregnant, and no one should know you had had a baby.
‘This was because you had decided that you were going to get rid of your baby as soon as she was born, and then no one would ever know you had had a baby.’
Speaking after the case on Friday, James Leslie Francis, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘Jia Xin Teo hid her pregnancy from everyone she knew and arrived in the UK knowing she was likely to give birth here.
‘She had the opportunity to seek help but instead chose to carry her pregnancy in secret and give birth alone.
‘After she gave birth, she still did not tell anybody and refused to go to hospital to get checked. She lied to friends who cared about her, to doctors at the hospital and to the police so no-one found her baby.
‘She did not tell the police where she hid her baby until two days had passed, by which time the baby would certainly be dead.
‘Baby Teo was alive after birth and could have survived but Jia Xin Teo made the decision to place her inside a cereal box knowing it would kill her.
‘Today, the jury has made the decision to convict her for her actions and I would like to thank them for their careful consideration in this complex and sensitive case.’
If you're expecting or you've recently given birth and need extra support:
For any physical or mental support, your GP or health visitors should be a good first line of support. There are a range of perinatal services available which they will be able to sign post or refer you to.
The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) offers a variety of courses and workshops, including antenatal and postnatal courses. They also have an Infant Feeding Line for questions about feeding.
Birth Companions offers support during pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum period. They provide breastfeeding support, caring for new babies, and referrals to other support agencies. Birth Companions also offer a 24/7 birthline for practical and emotional support.
Home–StartUK is a non-profit organisation providing a range of support to parents including a network of up to 20,000 volunteers who can provide virtual or in-house support.
The NHS offers a variety of support for new and expectant mothers, including health support tailored to the woman’s needs, maternal mental health services, women’s health hubs, GPs and midwifery teams for those struggling with their mental health
Midwives can provide information about support services available from local agencies and services. This could include health visitors or local parenting groups.
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