Taiwan mother jailed after baby's toe amputations from burns

A woman in Taiwan was sentenced to five months in prison after a tragic accident involving her newborn baby. The incident occurred on January 16, 2023, when the mother, identified as Wu, fell asleep with a hairdryer running on her baby’s bed. Wu was trying to dry a damp sheet when she dozed off for nearly three hours. When she woke up, she found that her daughter's toes had developed blisters from the heat. Medical help was called, and doctors discovered that the burns were severe, affecting more than 15 percent of the baby's body. This resulted in three of the baby's toes needing to be amputated. During the trial, Wu explained that medication for postpartum depression caused her drowsiness. She claimed that she had moved her daughter away from the hairdryer and did not think it would cause such harm. However, the court ruled that she should have been aware that her baby could move while she slept. They felt that she had the basic common sense to prevent the accident. Wu was also fined approximately £3,502 for her negligence. Her case sparked discussions on social media about postpartum depression, a condition that affects many new mothers. While some questioned why Wu did not hear her baby's cries, others emphasized the importance of understanding postpartum depression and its impact on new mothers' ability to care for their children.