The Coimbra Court will begin the trial on the 18th of a 20-year-old woman accused of twice attempting to murder her five-month-old son while he was receiving treatment at the Pediatric Hospital.
The child suffers from a genetic disease that causes developmental disorders affecting intellectual and physical development, recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, brain and skeletal anomalies, as well as limb deformities.
The two charges of attempted aggravated homicide against the mother allegedly took place between December 31, 2024, and January 2, 2025, when the baby was hospitalized at the Pediatric Hospital in Coimbra due to his health problems, having undergone a procedure to protect his airways.
This procedure involved creating an opening at the level of the throat on the exterior wall of the trachea, where a cannula was inserted to allow airflow, explained the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) in the case reviewed.
During the hospitalization, the child’s mother stayed with her son continuously, sometimes sleeping in the intensive care unit where the child was being treated.
Having witnessed the cleaning procedure of the cannula multiple times, the defendant allegedly disconnected the ventilation tube inserted in her son’s throat, placed a piece of cotton inside the cannula’s opening, and then reattached the ventilation tube, causing the cotton to lodge in the child’s left bronchus, stated the MP.
As a result of the alleged actions of the mother, the baby experienced two episodes of severe desaturation, which involves a significant drop in blood oxygen levels, exhibiting bluish skin and a slow heartbeat.
The accused reportedly went to a doctor’s office claiming her son was unwell, without mentioning her previous actions, said the MP.
The team at the Pediatric Hospital in Coimbra eventually detected the cotton piece, allowing them to stabilize the infant.
On January 2, around 11:30 PM, the accused allegedly renewed her attempt to take her son’s life, according to the Public Prosecutor’s office.
The defendant allegedly disabled the ventilator alarm and removed the ventilation tube, this time using small balls of paper from a puzzle book she had with her, placing them in a way that “completely obstructed the cannula,” thus impeding the baby’s normal respiratory flow.
The child suffered another episode of severe desaturation, experiencing cardiorespiratory arrest and bleeding from the mouth and nose, reported the MP.
The baby was subjected to resuscitation maneuvers by the medical team.
Subsequently, the team removed the cannula, which was cleared and reinserted, allowing the child to regain normal parameters.
“The accused was the only person with the child when the alarms went off,” highlighted the MP.
At the time the charges were filed in July this year, the baby remained hospitalized at the Pediatric Hospital with no forecasted discharge, and it is believed that the mother’s actions may have resulted in “permanent consequences” for the child’s development.
