Khon kaen: Parents have been arrested for placing their newborn child's body in a charcoal kiln, claiming ignorance about handling the baby's death and opting to cremate it instead.
According to Thai News Agency, the gruesome discovery of the baby's body, with the umbilical cord still attached, was made in Ban Hin Hao, Village No. 4, Non Khong Subdistrict, Ban Fang District, Khon Kaen Province, on August 17th. The body was partially burned, and no individuals were found nearby, leaving the identity of the baby's father initially unknown.
However, police swiftly identified the perpetrators within three days as the biological parents. The 30-year-old father from Chum Phae District was apprehended at his home, while the 27-year-old mother was arrested in Nong Ruea District, both in Khon Kaen Province. They were taken to Ban Fang Police Station for questioning. The mother confessed to giving birth to a son on August 15th in a Khon Kaen condo while alone, asserting the baby died within a day. Uncertain of how to proceed, they took the body to Ban Hin Hao the following day to burn it in a charcoal kiln owned by a known villager.
The initial autopsy highlighted a severe head wound, likely from being struck against a hard object, challenging the mother's claim of accidentally crushing the baby upon feeling dizzy post-birth. Police remain skeptical, as evidence showed the baby acted as a living infant after birth, displaying behaviors such as crying and drinking milk. Meconium found in the intestines confirmed the digestive system was operational.
Both parents have criminal histories, with the father having theft and drug convictions and the mother previously convicted of theft. They face charges of "joint murder and joint concealment of a corpse," with further investigations ongoing.