Parents, female cohabitant indicted for abusing infant to death

Tainan, April 17 (CNA) Tainan prosecutors on Friday indicted three people for the fatal abuse of a five-month-old infant who was found in a drainage canal in December, including the child's parents and a woman who lived with them.

Following the indictment, the Tainan District Court ordered the father, surnamed Fang (方), and the female cohabitant surnamed Ling (凌) remain in custody.

The two have been detained since Dec. 18, 2025, after police found the infant's body and arrested the three suspects, including the mother surnamed Lin (林).

Fang and Ling are suspected of committing serious offenses, including child abuse resulting in death and abandonment of a corpse, which carry a minimum prison sentence of five years, according to the court.

Given their suspected involvement in the case and risk of fleeing or collusion, Fang and Ling have been remanded in custody without visitation rights, the court said.

According to prosecutors, the infant was born in July and lived at a residence shared by the three suspects.

The family was on a city government watch list for vulnerable households and the case came to light after government workers responsible for tracking the family's welfare reported the infant missing, according to prosecutors.

The child's body was found wrapped in plastic bags in a drainage canal.

An autopsy had determined that the infant sustained multiple physical injuries and had been dead for several days before being found, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said they believe the three suspects physically abused the infant multiple times, including striking his head against a wall prior to death in early November.

Lin and Ling then wrapped the child in plastic bags after which Fang and Ling transported the body to the drainage canal, according to prosecutors.

Lin is under a court order prohibiting her from changing address.