H and I were discussing the news this morning -

[earlgrey]

about the poor 15 year old who'd been arrested because her newborn baby had been found with head wounds.

I happened to say to H that I thought up until the age of one, mothers couldn't be charged with infanticide.

He said that was a load of bxxcks, and I was completely wrong, otherwise they wouldn't have arrested her.

Does anyone know? I thought it was down to PND, and that's why they let them off for a year???

Of course they can be charged with infanticide!

And not everyone with PND wants to hurt their babies

Still with him then, EG?

Yep.

Still hurts more that I am!

Not everyone how kills their babies has PND either.
But a young girl, possibly one could presume it was a situation outside her skills for dealing with
Bailed until January

HM, someone's got to prove me wrong. Where's that MW that we've missed for a while?

But Piffle, have I got my theory all tXXs up?

Piffle, I know that - just thought there was a clause in in law that allowed for women suffering from it.

trefusis-

thanks for clearing that up.

At least now I can have an informed arguement!

I think you cna be convicted of it, and not imprisoned IYSWIM
It is often a crime defended by mental health especially those young girls with no support in difficult circs who kill a baby if they ahve just given birth to it with no help, which ( I have no reason to know/think this btw) I think might be the case this time?

Is this any help? According to this the law doesn't regard infanticide in the same way as murder.

Infanticide Act 1938

I don't know what penalties it carries or whether it has been updated since 1938.

God, HM, just wanted to say that I suffered from PND on both counts.

I think this is some interesting background to the Act. Just over half-way down the page.
Infanticide

God, juuule, I suffered PND on both births!!

God, just wanted to say I never felt like that, but really feel for that child.

which one?

nannyme, God, of course. Both.