The discovery of a newborn’s body in a trash container near Vienna’s Favoriten Clinic has sent shockwaves through the city, as details emerge suggesting the tragic death was an honor killing rather than a result of postpartum depression.
The lifeless body of Melek, a 10-day-old baby girl, was found last Thursday in a yellow waste bin near the hospital where she had been receiving care as a premature infant.
Initially suspected to be a case of postpartum depression, police revealed on Sunday that the child’s death was instead motivated by family disputes over “injured honor” within the family’s Turkish clan, as reported by Kronen Zeitung.
During police interrogations, the 30-year-old mother of the child confessed to the crime, citing “family problems” as her motive. The mother, who is not married to the child’s father, reportedly faced severe pressure from her family due to the baby’s illegitimacy, a situation perceived as dishonorable within their community.
Initially thought to have frozen to death, Melek’s autopsy results revealed the horrific extent of the infant’s suffering. She died from blunt force trauma, sustaining massive traumatic brain injuries and multiple bone fractures. This chilling evidence indicated that the baby was brutally beaten to death before being discarded.
Born prematurely, Melek required round-the-clock care from hospital staff. On Thursday morning, she vanished from her crib in the neonatal unit of the Favoriten Clinic. A frantic search followed, culminating in the mother leading investigators to the waste bin outside the hospital grounds.
The case has sparked outrage and deep mourning in Vienna, with many expressing horror over the circumstances of Melek’s death. Advocacy groups and political figures have called for swift justice and heightened awareness of honor-based violence.
Vienna police are continuing their investigation to determine the full extent of family involvement in the case, and charges are expected to follow.
