On Friday, 22-year-old Chiara Petrolini from Traversetolo, a town in the province of Parma, was placed under house arrest. She stands accused of burying her two newborn children in her garden, one of whom she allegedly killed. The prosecutor of Parma, Alfonso D’Avino, stated that the exact circumstances surrounding the death of the first child, born in 2023, are still unclear. However, it has been determined that the second child, born in 2024, died due to an umbilical cord hemorrhage after it was improperly cut.
Petrolini faces charges of aggravated voluntary manslaughter for the death of the second baby and body concealment for burying the first. Further investigations could lead to additional charges related to the death of the first child and the concealment of the second’s body. Petrolini denies responsibility for the deaths. During questioning, she did not clarify whether the first child was born alive or stillborn and claimed she lost consciousness after giving birth to the second, only to find the baby dead upon waking.
At this stage, the prosecution has not yet charged Petrolini with the murder of the first child, as investigations are ongoing to determine whether the baby was born alive. Nor has she been charged with the concealment of the second child’s body. According to D’Avino, the authorities are assessing whether an accusation of body concealment is applicable, given that the second baby’s body was only buried under a thin layer of soil and was discovered by a dog shortly after the death.
Initially, the investigation included Petrolini’s parents, but they have since been cleared of any involvement and are no longer considered suspects. Prosecutors allege that Petrolini kept both pregnancies a secret from friends and family and that she killed the second child shortly after giving birth at home, without medical assistance. She reportedly concealed the pregnancy from her parents out of fear of their negative reaction and from her boyfriend to avoid judgment.
The second birth occurred during the night between August 6th and 7th, and the body was found on August 9th. Petrolini and her family were only interviewed weeks later, after they returned from a trip to the United States. Following an analysis of Petrolini’s internet search history and wiretap evidence, further searches of the family’s garden were ordered. Investigators uncovered bones that, after analysis, were determined to belong to another infant. DNA tests confirmed Petrolini was the mother, and she admitted the child was born in May 2023.
Currently, there is no evidence of psychiatric disorders in Petrolini, though additional tests will be conducted to determine her mental state and assess her legal responsibility.
