A French court in Bordeaux has issued sentences in the case of abandoning two newborns. The grandmother received ten years of imprisonment, and the mother six years in prison. The children, one of them wrapped in a cloth diaper, were found in a plastic shopping bag in November 2024 in the commune of Saint-Médard-en-Jalles near Bordeaux. The prosecution accused the women of acting with the intent to kill the children, which the judges found proven. The defense lawyers announced an appeal, arguing that their clients did not want the children's death, but only to get rid of the problem.
Sentences for child abandonment
A court in Bordeaux sentenced the 51-year-old grandmother to ten years and the 31-year-old mother to six years of imprisonment for abandoning two newborns. The prosecution had demanded higher sentences – fifteen and six years in prison, respectively.
Macabre discovery in November
Two newborns, a boy and a girl, were found on November 2, 2024, in a plastic shopping bag on a street in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles. The children were wrapped in clothes and diapers, one of them had an umbilical cord. The discovery was made by a random passerby.
Intent to kill recognized by the court
The judges found that the accused acted with the intent to cause the children's death, which constitutes a qualified type of crime. The prosecutor argued that the children were „treated like trash”. The defense maintained that the intent was only abandonment, not murder.
Children in good health
Despite the macabre circumstances, both newborns survived and were found in good health. They are currently under the care of social services, and their future will be decided by the appropriate institutions.
Appeal and social context
The lawyers for the convicted women announced they would file an appeal against the verdict. The case caused shock in France, raising issues of social support for mothers in difficult situations and the effectiveness of the child welfare system.
A court in Bordeaux has issued a guilty verdict in the high-profile case of abandoning two newborns. The 51-year-old grandmother was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment, and her 31-year-old daughter, the children's mother, to six years in prison. The prosecution, represented by the public prosecutor, had demanded harsher sentences – fifteen years for the grandmother and six for the mother. The event, which shocked public opinion, took place on November 2, 2024, in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, a town adjacent to Bordeaux. A passerby then found a plastic shopping bag containing two newborn individuals – a boy and a girl. The children were wrapped in clothes and cloth diapers, and one of them still had a visible umbilical cord. During the trial, the key point of contention was the intent of the accused. The prosecution argued that the grandmother and mother acted with the intent to kill the children, which constitutes a qualified type of crime. The prosecutor referred to the macabre circumstances, stating that the infants were „treated like trash”. The judges sided with this argument, finding the guilt proven. The defense, represented by lawyers, maintained that their clients did not want the children's death but only wished to get rid of them, finding themselves in a difficult life situation. The mother's lawyer emphasized that his client was overwhelmed and did not receive adequate support. After the verdict was announced, the defense lawyers announced an appeal. In the French penal code, abandoning a person unable to defend themselves, particularly a child, is a crime punishable by up to ten years of imprisonment. However, if the act was committed with the intent to cause death, the legal classification becomes more severe, and the maximum penalty can be higher. Cases of newborn abandonment, often related to the secrecy of childbirth, regularly shock French society and lead to debates about anonymous childbirth and the support system for mothers in crisis.Fortunately, despite the dramatic circumstances, both newborns survived and were found in good health. After receiving necessary medical assistance, the children were placed under the care of social services. Their future, including possible adoption, will be decided by the appropriate family courts and institutions. The case received widespread media coverage in France, reminding people of the existence of the „anonymous birth” procedure, which allows a woman to give birth in a hospital and leave the child without revealing her identity, while ensuring its safety. The fact that such a solution was not used, and the children were abandoned in a life-threatening manner, was met with widespread condemnation and sadness.