Overview

• The Landgericht Heidelberg convicted the mother of bodily harm resulting in death and attempted murder by omission for administering an opiate to her seven-month-old son in July 2024.
• The court determined she gave the drug, obtained through a substitution program, to alleviate the baby's pain and persistent hiccups, but it led to respiratory arrest and death from cardiorespiratory failure.
• Despite the father’s advice to seek medical help, the mother took the child to her home in Sinsheim, where he died en route or shortly after arrival.
• The presiding judge noted the mother loved her child and did not intend to kill him but acted out of fear of losing custody, failing to seek emergency care despite recognizing the severity of the situation.
• The prosecution sought an eight-year sentence, while the defense argued for acquittal; the court rejected claims of diminished criminal capacity and imposed a 7.5-year prison term.