State Coroner Adam Nakhoda issued an open verdict on April 2, 2025, for a newborn baby boy found buried in a garden, as the cause of death could not be determined.
The baby’s body was in an advanced state of decomposition when found, making it impossible for the autopsy to confirm whether the infant was stillborn or died after birth.
An “open verdict” is given when the cause of death cannot be reasonably determined based on evidence presented during an inquiry, according to the Singapore Medical Association.
Coroner Nakhoda stated that both parents claimed the baby was stillborn, and noted no evidence of foul play was found in the case.
A gag order protects the identities of the baby and parents due to their ages at the time of the pregnancy.
The mother was 15 years old when she became pregnant by her then-boyfriend, who was 14. The teenagers were classmates who began dating in May 2020.
The couple had unprotected sex in the boy’s bedroom, as he found it difficult to buy condoms because of his age.
After discovering the pregnancy in January 2021, the teenagers attempted several methods to terminate it, including inserting a clothes hanger into the girl’s body, taking abortion pills, and the boy applying physical force to her abdomen.
The girl gave birth alone in her bedroom in June 2021, about six months into her pregnancy, while on a video call with her boyfriend.
Both teenagers reported the baby showed no signs of movement or crying at birth.
The girl initially wrapped the infant in newspaper and hid him in her cabinet. Two days later, following her boyfriend’s advice about the risks of keeping the body, she buried the baby in her home garden.
The girl would sometimes sit by the burial site to grieve.
The matter came to light in April 2022, a month after the couple broke up, when the girl’s mother noticed her daughter’s withdrawn behavior and questioned her.
The teenager confessed, and police were notified shortly after.
In February 2024, the father received 21 months of supervised probation for having sex with a minor and encouraging his then-girlfriend to bury their child. The girl received a conditional warning for her role in the case.
