Singaporean couple wanted by Taiwanese police for alleged homicide of newborn baby: report
SINGAPORE — A Singaporean couple who allegedly dumped a newborn baby girl in a food recycling bin in Taipei in 2019 are wanted by Taiwanese police, said The Straits Times on Wednesday (17 February).
Taipei district prosecutor's office spokesperson Chen Ju-ping said the authorities have "enough objective evidence" to issue an arrest warrant for the couple. They are suspected of, among others, homicide and disposal of the baby's body.
The woman is said to have given birth to a girl on 26 February 2019 while on holiday with her boyfriend in the Taiwanese capital.
The infant was allegedly dumped in a restaurant's food waste bin in Ximending before it was inadvertently transported by a garbage truck to a recycling plant in Xindian, some 10km away.
Her body was discovered by a recycling company employee in a garbage bag hours later. The baby's placenta and umbilical cord were still intact.
According to ST, Taiwanese authorities reviewed footage from more than 100 closed-circuit television cameras and checked immigration records, which led them to the couple.
Pieces of placenta were found in the bathroom pipe of their hotel room. It was also found that the couple had checked out of the hotel the same afternoon and flown back home.
Forensic tests concluded that the baby had been alive at birth.
The couple had previously denied their involvement in the case.
They can only be arrested if they enter Taiwan. Singapore does not have an extradition treaty with Taiwan, but the latter can request assistance from Singaporean authorities in obtaining evidence, or in conveying the couple to Taiwan, if they consent.
Yahoo News Singapore has reached out to the Singapore Police Force for comment.
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