LONDON, Oct 25 — The Warwick Crown Court in Coventry, UK, has convicted Malaysian Jia Xin Teo of murder over her actions in placing her newborn child in a cereal box and hiding both in a suitcase.
According to the BBC, Teo arrived from Malaysia to study at Coventry University, and shortly after gave birth at her home on 4 March, hiding the baby’s existence even from her flatmates.
During the trial, Teo’s defence argued that she heard voices that told her to harm the baby, but this did not convince the judge.
According to the prosecutors, Teo hid her pregnancy from all around her the entire time, ostensibly over fears it would disrupt her studies.
She had visited a hospital on March 5 where she displayed signs of having birthed a child, but denied this initially.
After further questioning, she confessed and told the authorities what she had done to her child.
Investigators following up on her admission found the child as she described, inside a cereal box, wrapped in plastic and placed inside her luggage.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) stated that Teo’s actions were deliberate and that the baby had been born alive and could have survived. Despite having opportunities to seek help, Teo chose to give birth in secret and hide the infant.
West Midlands Police were alerted when hospital staff became suspicious of Teo’s condition. The CPS condemned her actions, noting that she had lied to medical professionals, friends, and the police to conceal her baby.
The CPS said Teo had the chance to get help but instead carried out her pregnancy and childbirth in secrecy, ultimately causing the baby's death. Teo will be sentenced at a later date.
