North Somerset woman sentenced for killing baby
The court heard Sarah Jayne Barron entered a state of "blind panic" when she started giving birth
Last updated 14th Jul 2023
A North Somerset woman who admitted killing her baby has been handed a three year community order.
Sarah Jayne Barron (34), from Weston Super Mare, pleaded guilty to infanticide during a hearing at Bristol Crown Court on 9 May; she had previously denied murder.
As part of her order Ms Barron must spend 40 days taking part in a rehabilitation activity and has been banned from working with children or vulnerable adults.
Be aware, you may find the details of this case distressing.
The body of the newborn baby boy was discovered in a private garden in Weston Super Mare on 12 December 2020, eight days after the killing.
During proceedings the court heard Barron caused the death of her child by purposefully throwing them over the balcony of her flat.
Under UK law, the definition of infanticide is when a woman causes the death of their child, who is under 12 months, while their mental state is affected by not having fully recovered from childbirth or by lactation.
Senior Investigating Officer, Supt Gary Haskins, said: “This was a tragic and complex incident which has had a profound impact on all those involved.
“It’s important the investigation and resulting proceedings were dealt with sensitively and proportionately by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) taking into account all the evidence gathered, including the expert medical reports, to achieve the most appropriate outcome in these very sad circumstances.”