An 18-year-old American tourist has been arrested in Paris after allegedly throwing her newborn baby out of a hotel window just moments after giving birth, according to local authorities.
The infant, still attached to its umbilical cord, was reportedly thrown from the second floor of the Ibis Styles hotel in the 20th arrondissement. The budget three-star hotel, located off Rue de la Croix Saint-Simon, typically charges around £80 per night.
Emergency services were called around 6 a.m. after witnesses, alerted by screams, reported the horrifying incident. The baby was rushed to Robert Debré Hospital in the 19th arrondissement in critical condition but succumbed to its injuries.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that an investigation has been launched for “homicide of a minor under 15.” Authorities stated that the teenager was part of a group of young adults traveling in Europe. She has since been hospitalized for an operation and taken into custody.
A source close to the case told Paris Match that “the investigation is underway, and the precise circumstances of this tragedy remain to be established.” The street remained closed for over five hours following the incident.
By early afternoon, no police presence or cordon remained at the hotel, according to Paris local Tassos Xenakis, who spoke with MailOnline.
A Chillingly Similar Case
This tragic event echoes a similar case last year in Germany, where Katarina Jovanovic, an executive in Porsche’s legal department, was convicted of manslaughter for dropping her newborn 12 feet from her apartment window.
Jovanovic, who initially denied knowing she was pregnant, admitted to the crime but claimed she was in a state of psychological distress. Prosecutors argued that she deliberately concealed her pregnancy, fearing a child would derail her career.
She was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison—more than double the three years her defense requested.
As the investigation in Paris continues, authorities seek to determine the full circumstances behind the heartbreaking tragedy.
