Citing postpartum psychosis, court acquits mother sentenced to life for killing infant

The Gauhati High Court acquitted a mother convicted of killing her 38-day-old daughter in 2016, citing the possibility of the mother suffering from postpartum psychosis. The court ruled that the woman's confession, in which she admitted to killing her daughter, was inadmissible due to concerns of police pressure. Postpartum psychosis is a severe mental health condition that can develop after childbirth, and can cause delusions, hallucinations, and other cognitive symptoms that can put both the mother and the infant at risk.

The court noted that while it was not required to determine if the mother actually had PPP, the issue should have been considered before convicting her. The woman's husband had reported the infant missing to the police, and she had confessed to killing the child and throwing the body into the Dikhow River. The court emphasized that the mother's confession, signed by a head constable, could not be used as evidence due to the possibility of police influence.