On May 30, 2005 the neighbor of 31-year old Austrian
bookkeeper, Gertraud Arzberger, residing in Graz, went to the apartment
building shared basement to get some ice cream for his children and in the freezer
there discovered the corpses of two plastic-wrapped babies. Police, using “sniffer
dogs,” discovered one more dead newborn in a garden shed on the premises
encased in concrete-filled bucket and another hidden behind a pile of rubbish.
Arzberger admitted murdering the babies and stated the
reason as frustration over finances and her fear that her live-in paramour,
Johannes Genser, might leave her if she were to raise a child. She confessed
she had given birth each time in the bathtub, but claimed she could not
remember her actions following the births.
Genser, presumably the father of the dead children, “denied
knowing about her pregnancies, but acknowledged telling her that she would have
to leave him if she got pregnant.” Neighbors testified that five of Gertaud’s
pregnancies in question had been clearly visible. Police could not locate a
fifth corpse.
On March 31, 2006 Arzberger was convicted of three murders
and sentenced to life in prison. Genser was found guilty as an accessory and
sentenced to 15 years in prison.
“As he left court in handcuffs Genser sought to propose
marriage to Arzberger. ‘Can I still offer her my hand?’ he asked the judge, who
replied firmly ‘No.’”
***
2000-2005 – dates of 4 newborn deaths.
May 30, 2005 – Monday, neighbor discovers two corpses.
Jun. 2, 2005 – Gertraud Arzberger and Johannes Genser
arrested (Thursday).
Mar. 31, 2006 – GA pleads guilty; 3 counts of murder (one
child possibly having been stillborn), sentenced to life in prison.
***
[“Mom confesses to killing babies,” News24.com, Jun. 3,
2005]
[“Austrian jailed for baby murders,” BBC News, Mar. 31,
2006]
[Kleine Zeitung (Graz)]
***
[1165-1/15/21]
***
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