• A 28 year old woman from Germany dropped her child out of a window, stating that she thought, “A child would ruin her career as an Executive at Porsche.”
• Bystanders witnessed the deceased baby girl and promptly notified the police.
A woman has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for dropping her newborn daughter out of a window, citing concerns that having a baby would jeopardise her career. Katarina Jovanovic, 28, an Executive at Porsche from Lauffen am Neckar, Baden-Wuerttemberg State, Germany, was convicted of manslaughter at the Heilbronn District Court on Wednesday, July 3.
During the trial, Jovanovic confessed to the act, which occurred ten months ago on September 12, when she secretly gave birth at home and then dropped her baby from her apartment window, nearly 12 feet above the ground onto tarmac.
Horrified onlookers discovered the minutes-old baby girl’s body, her skull shattered, under Jovanovic’s balcony, and immediately called the police.
While admitting to the crime, Jovanovic could not provide an explanation for her actions, as reported by ASB Zeitung. She claimed she had been unaware of her pregnancy. However, prosecutors accused her of murder, alleging that she intentionally hid her condition from colleagues and neighbors.
Prosecutor Mareike Hafendoerfer stated: “The accused was not prepared to put her life plans, especially her professional advancement, on hold for a child.
‘That was her decision when the baby was born, and as a result, the criteria for a murder conviction are fulfilled.’
Jovanovic’s defence argued for manslaughter, contending that she accidentally dropped the newborn while alone at home and unaware of her pregnancy. Defence attorney Malte Hoech said “My client didn’t even know she was pregnant. When she suddenly held the bloody baby in her hands, she was in an exceptional psychological situation.
‘It was an accident, she dropped the baby. How the child ended up over the window sill remains to be determined.’
Ultimately, the court accepted the lesser charge of manslaughter but sentenced Jovanovic to seven and a half years in prison, exceeding the defence’s plea for three years.
Jovanovic’s legal team intends to appeal the verdict. Neighbors expressed shock upon learning of her pregnancy, noting her sudden withdrawal and stress-related behavior changes.
