Costa Rica: A woman identified as Chavarría García, who allegedly killed her five-month-old baby last Friday, will not be jailed. Instead, she will remain hospitalized in a mental health institution while the investigation of the case is carried out, the Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to La Teja.
On Friday, August 30, around 11 pm, the tragedy occurred in a house located in La Carpio, in La Uruca, specifically in the sector known as the Third Stop. According to reports, the woman’s relatives noticed something unusual when they looked out a window, where they saw blood stains. Upon entering, they found Chavarría with wounds and the child’s body on the bed. Given the seriousness of the situation, the mother was transferred to Mexico Hospital, while the child was declared dead on the scene by Red Cross personnel.
The San José Special Prosecutor’s Office obtained a measure of internment in the Center for the Care of People with Mental Illness in Conflict with the Law, where the mental state of the woman will be evaluated. This precautionary measure was supported by the Extraordinary Criminal Court and is established for a period of one month.
The case, which has been registered under file 24-001349-0053-PE, is classified as a possible aggravated homicide. In addition, the case has been referred to the Deputy Prosecutor’s Office for Attention to Acts of Violence against Girls, Boys and Adolescents, where its processing will continue.
The statements of the father of the minor, collected in a police report, describe the tragic events of the night. “The man stated that his wife suffocated a son they had in common, and that she put him in the bathtub full of water,” says the report, which adds that, after the events, the police authorities were notified.
The news has shocked the community, which has been closely following the development of the case, which highlights not only the family tragedy, but also the importance of addressing mental health in critical situations.