"I thought after feeding her, she would sleep for a long time", the 20-year-old mother stated to investigators regarding her reason for leaving her child alone on 31/12/2025.

That morning, the woman received a call from an animal rescue center and "could not resist the excitement", so she decided to drive to another province with her husband (the baby's stepfather) to pick up a dog. They locked the door, leaving their child in their rented apartment in Gangshan District, Kaohsiung City from 9:00 to 16:00.

Upon their return, the baby girl was purple and had stopped breathing. The hospital confirmed she had died before emergency services arrived, with the initial suspected cause being suffocation from milk reflux.

The baby girl died after her mother left her at home to pick up a dog. *Upmedia*

However, doctors notified police after discovering the baby's naked body hastily wrapped in a towel, with multiple unusual injuries: a large bruise on her left thigh, left shoulder, and a burn mark on her chin, suspected to be from a cigarette.

Confronted with these marks, the mother claimed her child "bumped herself", and the scratch on her neck was from "long fingernails".

The couple's demeanor at the morgue angered many witnesses. While waiting for body identification procedures, the stepfather remained calm, even asking for a cigarette as if nothing had happened. Neither showed any pain or remorse typical of grieving parents.

Neighbors reported the couple had moved into the luxury apartment complex about one month ago. With a rent of 18,000 New Taiwan Dollar (nearly 14 million VND), this represented a "luxurious" lifestyle compared to their income from part-time jobs at a convenience store. "They had money for a nice apartment, time to pick up a dog, but no time to care for their child", a local resident said.

Both are currently out on bail after posting 50,000 New Taiwan Dollar to await autopsy results. If convicted of "child abuse resulting in death" under Taiwan law, they could face a maximum penalty of death.

Bao Nhien (According to Sin Chew Daily)