A young Balinese woman admitted to killing her own baby in Denpasar District Court on Monday.
Ni Kadek Yosi Wiriani, just 19 years old, says she panicked when she dumped her newborn baby into a rice field ditch.
Wiriani’s defense attorney said in court that his client felt pressure from her boyfriend, I Gede Yoga Antara, who apparently wanted her to become his second wife. However, it wasn’t exaclty clear from local reports why this polygamy push would make Wiriani abandon her baby.
“The defendant was stressed by her boyfriend, who wanted to be polygamous,”attorney Ni Luh Putu Nilawati said, as quoted by Antara Bali.
Additionally, Wiriani admitted in court that she was surprised that the baby was born early and she hadn’t told her parents so shame was also a factor.
“We ask for leniency, because it’s always the woman who gets positioned as a victim,” Nilwati said.
Because the woman is still young and was forthcoming in court, her lawyer believes the punishment will not fall on the heavier side.
We’ll have to wait for her trial to be wrapped up to know if the judge agrees with her legal counsel.
