The Trial Enters a Decisive Phase: Panama is Seeking 11 Years in Prison for “Fake Baby”
Medical reports reveal that the woman indicates she has no psychological impairment.
The high-profile case of the “fake baby” that shook the province of Chiriquí entered its second day of hearings. The Public Prosecutor’s Office is requesting a 136-month prison sentence, equivalent to 11 years and 4 months in jail, for the woman accused of orchestrating one of the most unusual deceptions in recent memory in Panama. During the hearing, medical experts confirmed that the defendant does not have any psychiatric disorders that would prevent her from standing trial. The woman was calm, and some people described her demeanor as “cold and distant.” The final statements are expected tomorrow before the case moves to the stage where a judge will decide whether the woman will serve the harsh sentence requested by the prosecution.
The Deception Began at a Funeral
The whole thing came to light in early December 2023 when a grandmother in Bugaba opened the small coffin where her granddaughter was supposedly resting… and found a doll. The doll dressed in white, with cotton balls in its nostrils and pink gloves was a scene that went viral and shocked the entire country. The accused woman claimed to be pregnant, that she gave birth in the capital, and that the baby girl died three days later. She even justified the delay in returning the body by citing the anti-mining protests in October and November. It was all a lie.
There were Fake Documents, Doctored Photos, and a Baby that Never Existed
The investigation revealed that there was no birth record for the alleged baby. The birth and death certificates were all fake. The Electoral Tribunal filed a complaint for document forgery. The photos the woman presented as proof of her delivery at Santo Tomás Hospital were fabricated: a 2015 image edited to make it appear as though she were hospitalized. There is no evidence of medical care, prenatal checkups, or the delivery she described. After inspections, interviews and expert reports, the Prosecutor’s Office concluded the inevitable: the baby never existed.
A Broken Family and a Country in Limbo
The family of the deceived young man is demanding justice, while the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office continues to gather documents and review possible additional crimes. Expectations are high: a decision could be made at any moment regarding whether the woman will face the 11 years and 4 months in prison requested by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Courts Seeking an 11-Year Sentence for the Woman who Placed a Doll in a Coffin
