The Western District Prosecutor’s Office is appealing a ruling from the Pärnu County Court in the case involving the death of a baby in Suure-Lähtru.
The case revolves around the killing of an infant, whose body was discovered on February 5, 2024, in Suure-Lähtru. A family dog had found and brought the baby’s body back. The prosecution is appealing the court’s decision not to charge the accused with desecration of a corpse.
In February, Pärnu County Court convicted Kairi Kuusemaa of murdering her infant but dismissed the charge of desecrating the corpse. The court ruled that desecration could be considered a misdemeanor. “For this reason, the Western District Prosecutor’s Office decided to challenge the county court’s decision in the Tallinn Circuit Court,” said Senior Prosecutor Eliisa Sommer.
In its appeal, the prosecution argued that evidence presented in the case supported the idea that Kuusemaa could be guilty of desecrating the corpse. The evidence suggests that she moved the baby’s body to a location near a neighboring farm, making it accessible to the dog.
The prosecution claims this treatment of the body violated accepted customs and damaged the dignity of the deceased. “This harmed the deceased’s honor, which is part of their human dignity,” the prosecutor’s report stated.
The prosecution also pointed out that since Kuusemaa gave birth alone and without anyone knowing, only she could have moved the body from the farm. “Her actions before, during, and after childbirth suggest her intent to prevent anyone from discovering her newborn child,” the prosecution added.
The prosecutor is asking the Tallinn Circuit Court to partially overturn the Pärnu County Court’s ruling and add six months to Kuusemaa’s sentence for desecrating the corpse. This would result in a combined prison sentence.
On February 20, 2025, Pärnu County Court convicted Kuusemaa of murdering her child and sentenced her to three years and nine months in prison. The sentence began retroactively on March 9 of the previous year.
Following the verdict, Kuusemaa’s defense attorney, Robert Sarv, announced that they would be appealing the decision to the circuit court.
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