A Romanian mother in Verona was sentenced to one year and four months after allegedly leaving her son locked out in front of the home

A 39-year-old woman of Romanian origin was sentenced to one year and four months in prison for child abandonment following an incident in Verona, Italy, on September 15, 2024. The case became public recently, after the first-instance verdict was handed down.

According to investigators, the boy was playing near the apartment building while his mother watched him from the balcony. Toward evening, the child tried to enter the home, but his mother allegedly did not open the door, even though he repeatedly rang the doorbell. After approximately two hours, the child called the emergency number 113 and told police officers that he could not get into the apartment.

A police unit arrived at the scene and contacted the mother through the intercom. The woman subsequently opened the door, and the intervention triggered checks and criminal proceedings.

The mother denied the allegations. Through her lawyer, Alice Chiementin, she claimed that an argument had broken out between her and her son, that the boy had refused to enter the home, and that she had continuously monitored him from the balcony. The defense maintains that the incident lasted approximately 30 minutes, not two hours. Judge Paola Vacca is expected to file the reasoning within 60 days. The decision will be appealed.