Hungary foster mother sentenced for manslaughter of two-year-old

The Debrecen Court has sentenced a foster mother to seven years and six months in prison for the manslaughter of a two-year-old boy in Polgár. The incident occurred in February 2023 after the woman, who had begun fostering two children in December 2022, became enraged when the child resisted being led into a house. The woman stomped on the child's chest while he was lying on the ground, causing fatal internal injuries.

Although the woman and her partner rushed the unconscious child to medical professionals, he could not be resuscitated. While the defense argued the injuries resulted from an accidental fall down stairs, the court found the woman guilty of manslaughter. In addition to the prison term, she received an eight-year ban from public affairs and a permanent prohibition from any occupation involving the supervision of minors.

The Debrecen Appellate Prosecution Office has filed an immediate appeal, seeking a more severe sentence than the one handed down, noting that the prosecution had originally requested a 13-year prison term.