On May 5, 2007, eighteen-year-old Johannes Halbe, living in a small German
village of Wenden-Möllmicke went to the freezer to get a frozen pizza. There he
found by accident shopping bags containing terry towels inside of which were
the remains of three tiny babies. One of the packages’ wrapping included a
newspaper. It was dated “December 30, 1988.”
The Halbes have three living children besides Johannes:
Stefanie, 23 at that time, and Sebastian. They and their father Thomas said
they had been unaware of the pregnancies.
Monika explained the reason she kept the three baby corpses years
at home in her freezer stating: “I wanted the kids always to be near me.”
At the time of the trial Halbe was undergoing voluntary
psychiatric treatment at a guarded facility.
Judge Wolfgang Muenker when sentencing Moonika Halbe, related
biographical details to demonstrate his reasoning for sentencing. She was the
youngest of eight children, trained as a dental assistant but gave up work
after being bullied. Her first sexual relations were “not consensual,” he
noted. He said that she suffered from “an irrational fear of doctors and
especially of gynaecological examinations.”
On December 1, 2008, Monika Halbe, 44, was found guilty by
the Siegen state court of killing two of her
babies. She was sentenced to four years and three months. The first death
ineligible for prosecution due to statute of limitations.
[Robert St. Estephe]
***
Home in Wenden-Möllmicke, a village with 1650 inhabitants
Sauerland, Germany.
1983 – Monica marries Thomas Halbe.
1984 – Stefanie born, allowed to live (23 at time of
discovery).
1985 – Sebastian born, allowed to live. (22 at time of
discovery).
1986 – newborn #1, girl, murdered. Unchargable homicide due
to statute of limitations.
Ca Dec. 30, 1988 – newborn #2, girl, murdered, “delivered in
the family bathroom, was suffocated by being held close for several minutes.”
1990 – Johannes, allowed to live (18 at time of discovery).
2004 – newborn #3, girl, murdered, drowned.
May 5, 2007 – discovery by son Johnnes (18).
Dec. 1, 2008 – Monika Halbe, 44, found guilty by the Siegen court of killing two of her babies (due to
statute of limitations) and stashing their corpses in the family’s freezer;
sentenced to four years and three months. Siegen state court. Wolfgang Muenker,
presiding judge.
***
[Von Die
Mutter, die drei Neugeborene sterben ließ,” Die Welt (Germany), Nov. 11, 2008; children’s names listed]
[“German mother jailed for killing babies and keeping bodies
in freezer,” The Telegraph (England), Dec. 1, 2008]
[“Tote Babys in
Kühltruhe Mutter wollte Kinder “bei sich haben,” Suddeutsche
Zeitung (Germany), May 17, 2010]
***
***
For more cases of this type, see Serial Baby-Killer Moms.
***
[1288-1/15/21]
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