An 18-year-old American tourist has been arrested in Paris after allegedly throwing her newborn baby out of a hotel window just moments after giving birth, local authorities report.
The tragic incident took place at the Ibis Styles hotel in the 20th arrondissement, where the baby—still attached to its umbilical cord—was reportedly thrown from a second-floor window. Witnesses, alerted by screams, called emergency services around 6 a.m. The infant was rushed to Robert Debré Hospital in critical condition but did not survive.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into “homicide of a minor under 15.” Officials stated that the teenager was part of a group of young adults traveling across Europe. She was taken into custody at the scene and later hospitalized for medical treatment.
Authorities are still working to establish the full details of the case, with a source telling Paris Match, “The investigation is ongoing, and the precise circumstances of this tragedy remain unclear.” The street outside the hotel was closed for more than five hours as police examined the scene.
By early afternoon, no visible police presence remained at the hotel, according to local reports.
A Disturbing Parallel
The case bears striking similarities to an incident in Germany last year, in which Katarina Jovanovic, an executive in Porsche’s legal department, was convicted of manslaughter for dropping her newborn from her apartment window.
Jovanovic initially claimed she was unaware of her pregnancy but later admitted to the crime, saying she acted in a state of psychological distress. Prosecutors argued that she deliberately hid her pregnancy to protect her career.
She was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison—more than double the three-year term her defense team had sought.
As the Paris investigation continues, authorities are working to uncover the full circumstances surrounding this devastating event.