Newborn Baby Death Ends in Infanticide Plea for Weston-super-Mare Woman
Community Order and Childwork Ban for Sarah Jayne Barron
Sarah Jayne Barron, once of Weston-super-Mare, was sentenced to a three-year community order at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, 14 July. She is also banned from working with children or vulnerable adults.
Investigation Uncovered Baby’s Body in Private Garden
The Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) launched a probe after a newborn’s body was found in a private garden on the morning of Saturday, 12 December 2020.
Plea to Infanticide Accepted Following Medical Evidence
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) initially charged Barron with murder in October 2022, after receiving evidence from the police. However, detailed medical reports led the CPS to accept a plea of infanticide instead.
Under UK law, infanticide applies when a woman causes the death of her child under 12 months old while mentally disturbed due to childbirth effects.
Senior Investigating Officer, Supt Gary Haskins, said: “This was a tragic and complex incident which has had a profound impact on all those involved.
“It’s important the investigation and resulting proceedings were dealt with sensitively and proportionately by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), taking into account all the evidence gathered, including the expert medical reports, to achieve the most appropriate outcome in these very sad circumstances.”
