Police in France reported that an American teenager could potentially face severe consequences for the death of her newborn after causing its death by dropping it from a hotel window in Paris. The consequences range from a life sentence to being absolved, with the verdict being contingent on her mental state.
According to AP News, the 18-year-old girl, who was spending her gap year participating in a program based in Massachusetts, was accused of throwing the newborn out of a window at the Ibis Styles hotel while the baby still had its umbilical cord attached. The authorities discovered the infant’s body wrapped in fabric inside a nearby garbage bin.
Officers took the woman into custody at a hospital after she underwent surgery.
Although police didn’t reveal the woman’s identity, DailyMail reports that she has been identified as Mia McQuillin, of Bend Oregon.
The incident is being treated as a potential homicide by the prosecutors. At the same time, the Paris child protection police are delving into the possibility that the teenager was experiencing pregnancy denial, a condition wherein the person remains oblivious to or negates the fact of their pregnancy.
“Whether she knew or not that she was pregnant could have an impact on her defense, as it would not place her in the same mental state at the time of event,” criminal defense lawyer Lois P. Lesot told People magazine.
Lesot’s partner, Avi Bitton, told the outlet that although rare, mental disorders, under French law, could potentially find the defendant not liable.
“I believe that the outcome of this case will depend on her mental state,” Bitton says. “Indeed, under French law, a person who, at the time of the events, was suffering from a mental or neuropsychiatric disorder which had abolished their discernment or control over their actions is not criminally liable.”
Police have disclosed little about the investigation but are expected to assess the woman’s mental health, interview witnesses, and conduct an autopsy on the infant, according to Bitton and Lesot.
Check back for updates.
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