Thai man abandons baby in forest to punish wife; arrested
What's the story
In a bizarre case from Thailand, a 21-year-old man has been arrested for leaving his two-week-old baby in the woods.
Wuttichai committed the act as revenge against his wife, Orathai, who had refused to sleep with him after delivery.
The issue came to attention on March 21 when Orathai informed the village chief and publicly denounced her husband online after receiving a shocking picture of the baby lying on the ground.
Details
Wuttichai sent photo of infant in banana grove
Police then initiated an inquiry and tracked down the family, who lived in Buriram province.
Orathai reported to police that her spouse was a drug user and gambler. He also constantly abused her and their older, one-year-old child.
The couple often fought because she refused to have sex with him so soon after giving birth.
Wuttichai refuted the charges, saying he just put his sleeping baby in the banana grove for a photo and had no intention of abandoning him.
Drug charges
He is now facing drug charges
The police tested his urine based on his wife's claim that he is a drug addict, and the results were positive. He is now facing drug charges and will be rehabilitated as required by law.
The potential sentence for abandoning a child under the age of nine that does not cause further bodily injury to the child is up to three years in prison and a 6,000 baht fine (US$180).