Woman kills 'unwanted' new born in Kerala, arrested

She did not want another baby soon and she hid thepregnancy from the family out of shame, he added.

In a cruel incident ofinfanticide, a 26-year-old woman in Kerala has allegedlystrangled to death her new born girl baby using an earphonecable as she had not planned for the child, her second.

Sahina, native of Chedakkanam, was arrested on Thursdayon charges of killing the infant, weeks after the incident inBadiaduka village in this northernmost district, Police said.

Though the incident occurred on December 15, the arrestwas made only now after the woman, who had been maintainingshe did not remember what happened, confessed to killing thebaby and hiding the body under a cot wrapping it in a cloth.

During interrogation, the woman told police she resortedto the killing out of disappointment of becoming pregnantagain within about four months after giving birth to her firstchild.

However, her husband, an employee in a shop in Ernakulam,alleged she had hidden about her second pregnancy from him andthe family all along.

It came to light after Shahina, found bleeding in herhome on December 15, was admitted the next day to a privatehospital. Doctors later confirmed she had given birth to afull grown baby hours before being brought there.

''It was based on the doctor's statement that the relativessearched the house and found the body of the child. But, shewas not ready to reveal anything in the beginning,'' a policeofficer told PTI.

First she said she was not remembering anything and latershe gave contradictory statements.

''Later, she said her first baby was just one year and twomonths old. She did not want another baby soon and she hid thepregnancy from the family out of shame,'' he added.