Jia Xin Teo Convicted of Murder After Hiding Baby in Suitcase
Jia Xin Teo, a 22-year-old woman from Coventry, has been convicted of murder after hiding her newborn baby in a suitcase. The baby, who was alive at birth, could have survived but tragically died after Teo placed her in a cereal box, sealed it in a plastic bag, and then concealed it in a suitcase.
Teo, who arrived in the UK from Malaysia earlier this year to study at Coventry University, claimed she had been hearing voices urging her to harm or kill the baby. However, her defense was rejected by a jury at Warwick Crown Court, who convicted her of murder.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed that Teo did not inform the authorities about her baby’s location until two days after the birth. She gave birth to the child at full term on March 4, but concealed her pregnancy from everyone, including her flatmates. Afterward, she failed to seek medical help, even when staff at a local hospital suspected she had recently given birth.
Teo later admitted to hospital staff that she had given birth and was afraid her family and friends in Malaysia would find out and that it could impact her studies. This fear prompted her to hide the pregnancy and the newborn from those around her.
James Leslie Francis, of the CPS, stated after Teo’s conviction that she had arrived in the UK knowing she might give birth and had numerous opportunities to seek help. Instead, she chose to conceal her pregnancy, give birth alone, and hide her baby, lying to doctors, friends, and police in the process.