Further details have emerged in the ongoing investigation into Chiara Petrolini, the 22-year-old woman from Traversetolo, now under house arrest for allegedly killing her two newborn children and burying them in the family garden. Petrolini, already facing charges of aggravated voluntary manslaughter for the death of her second child, born in 2024, and body concealment for the first child, born in 2023, continues to deny responsibility for the deaths.
While prosecutors have confirmed that the second child died of hemorrhage due to an improperly cut umbilical cord, uncertainty remains over the circumstances surrounding the death of the first child. Petrolini has yet to clarify if the first baby was born alive or dead, leaving investigators searching for more definitive answers. However, additional forensic tests are still underway to determine if further charges will be brought against her.
Investigators have shifted focus towards Petrolini’s mental state at the time of the incidents. Despite initial evaluations showing no signs of psychiatric disorders, more thorough examinations have been ordered to assess her capacity to understand the gravity of her actions. Prosecutors are looking into the possibility of temporary insanity as a defense, though nothing has been officially confirmed.
The case took a significant turn last month when investigators, following Petrolini’s internet search history and surveillance data, conducted a second search of the family’s property. It was during this search that the remains of a second infant, buried in the garden, were discovered. DNA analysis confirmed the child was Petrolini’s first baby, born in May 2023. The discovery added weight to the charges of concealment, although the circumstances of the first baby’s death remain unclear.
Petrolini’s parents, initially under investigation, have been officially cleared of any involvement. Prosecutors believe Petrolini concealed both pregnancies from her family, acting alone in both births and subsequent burials. Her motivation, reportedly tied to fear of judgment from her parents and boyfriend, remains a key point of inquiry.
With no significant psychiatric disorders confirmed at this stage, the trial’s next steps will likely focus on further clarifying the details of the first baby’s death and assessing the possibility of additional charges. The community in Traversetolo, still in shock over the revelations, awaits further developments as the case progresses.
