Judge takes cognizance of post-partum depression.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Neha Patel, of Lakeland, Florida, was spared a potential 30-year jail sentence for the murder of her one year-old son, when the Circuit Court Judge presiding over her trial remanded her to just two years of house arrest and a further 12 years of probation, last week.
Judge Donald Jaconson cited Patel’s history of post-partum depression, as well as her time already served and evident remorse for her actions, as factors in deciding not to put Patel behind bars for as much as three decades. Patel also agreed earlier to a deal that reduced the charges against her from first-degree murder to aggravated manslaughter of a child.
Patel and her husband, Rasesh, gave birth to their son Ishan in 2011. Ishan was born prematurely, and spent a prolonged period of time in the hospital. Already on medication to deal with mental instability, Patel stopped taking her medication, reportedly unable to cope with not being able to carry her son through the nine-month gestation term and causing him medical problems.
Her co-workers at a local CVS said that she became noticeably more morose. In February of 2012, husband Rasesh discovered that his wife and son had gone missing. After reporting it to police, Neha Patel returned with Ishan’s body wrapped in a blanket – she had drowned the boy in a tub and, forensics discovered, hit him violently while he was still alive.
Over the course of her trial, Rasesh divorced Neha and took sole custody of their other child, a six year-old daughter. Rasesh nevertheless argued that Neha had been a good mother to their daughter, but was simply overcome by her mental instabilities after the birth of their son, which led to her committing the heinous murder.
Prosecutors argued that Patel was well aware of her actions, and therefore should be punished to the full extent of the law, particularly since she killed a defenseless young child. The judge granted leniency in his sentencing of Patel – in addition to the aforementioned provisions, she must also wear an electronic tracking anklet for at least six months, and will submit to drug testing throughout her probationary period to ensure she is taking medication.
She will now be transferred to a halfway home, where she will be under the care of the government and provided with education and help with looking for a job to support herself once she gets out.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com