Dominique Cottrez

Background

Dominique Cottrez was a French woman aged 45. She was described as a nursing assistant. She was born and educated in Villers-au-Tertre. She was in custody from July 2010 and was later freed under supervision.

Dominique Cottrez’s husband was Pierre-Marie Cottrez, who was 47 and described as a carpenter. He was questioned by a judge but had not been charged at the time described in the case material. The couple had two adult daughters in their 20s who supported Dominique Cottrez.

The offence

Dominique Cottrez admitted giving birth to and smothering eight newborn babies over an approximately 17-year period. Prosecutors said she voluntarily suffocated (to death) the newborns at birth between 1989 and 2006 or 2007.

Two of the babies’ bodies were discovered in plastic bags by new owners working in the garden of a house Dominique and her husband previously occupied. Dominique Cottrez admitted that the bodies belonged to two infants she had given birth to, and she told police that six more infants’ bodies were hidden in the garage.

Dominique Cottrez told investigators that she killed the babies because she did not want to have any more children and did not want to see doctors for contraceptives. Prosecutor Eric Vaillant stated that Cottrez was overweight and that her obesity concealed the pregnancies.

An attorney for Dominique Cottrez speculated on a possible motive, saying she could have suffered from pregnancy denial.

Dominique Cottrez’s attorney said on her behalf that she denied burying the babies and that she was adamant she did not bury the babies in the garden, and that she said it was definitely not her husband. The attorney said, “We don't know who did it but she is certain she didn't do it and neither did her husband,” and described her as certain that neither she nor her husband did it.

Investigation

The case came to light when a couple gardening in their backyard in Villers-au-Tertre found two babies’ bodies in sealed plastic bags and called police. Police spoke to Dominique Cottrez and her husband, and Dominique Cottrez admitted immediately that she was the mother of the two babies found gardening.

After she confessed about the two infants found in the garden, she pointed investigators to six additional bodies concealed in her garage. Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said the six bodies were also in sealed plastic bags but were covered by various objects.

French prosecutors announced on July 29, 2010 that Dominique Cottrez had been indicted on murder charges.

Arrest

Dominique Cottrez was in jail after a judge placed her under formal investigation, one step away from being formally charged for “voluntary murder of minors under the age of 15.” She had been in custody since July 2010, when remains were found in the garden of her parents’ home.

Pierre-Marie Cottrez was questioned by a judge but was not charged at that time and remained free.

Trial

Dominique Cottrez was awaiting trial on eight charges of voluntary homicide.

Sentencing

No sentencing outcome was stated in the provided material.

Appeals

Dominique Cottrez was released untagged by an appeals court in the northern town of Douai on condition she continued to receive psychological and psychiatric care. The material did not immediately clarify the grounds for her release.

Outcome

Dominique Cottrez was freed under supervision and continued to receive psychological and psychiatric care after being released by an appeals court in Douai.

Prosecutors had charged Dominique Cottrez with murder, and she was awaiting trial on eight charges of voluntary homicide.

Aftermath

Media reports described Dominique Cottrez as “falling apart,” and her attorney described her as psychologically distressed and depressed.

Her daughters Virginie and Emeline described being shocked and said they had not noticed anything, describing moments of fatigue while she worked almost 24 hours a day. They also described her as caring and as someone who often babysat her grandchildren.

In Villers-au-Tertre, residents were described as reeling from the news as reporters descended on the village. The village priest left eight candles in front of the door to the couple’s home, and the mayor discussed the couple’s roles in the village.

Timeline

• July 2010 — Remains were found in the garden; Dominique Cottrez was placed under formal investigation and held in custody.
• July 29, 2010 — French prosecutors announced that Dominique Cottrez had been indicted on murder charges.
• June 1, 2013 — Dominique Cottrez was reported freed under supervision.

Other details

Dominique Cottrez said she hid the pregnancies and deaths from her husband.

Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said there were no other babies’ bodies left to be found.

Dominique Cottrez faced life imprisonment in one report. The material also stated that the investigating judge would request psychological, psychiatric and medical examinations to determine her level of criminal responsibility.

Several quoted statements were included in the material:

• Attorney Frank Berton said: “psychologically very distressed. She is depressed and falling apart. However, she admits to the crimes and she even helped the police discover the bodies.”
• Attorney Burton said: “She has been plagued by this for a long time and now she is relieved.”
• Attorney Burton said: “My client will be undergoing psychological tests and treatment to try and understand what pushed her to commit these murders.”
• Attorney Burton speculated: “I believe she could have suffered from pregnancy denial.”
• Attorney Burton said: “It's incomprehensible.”
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant told reporters: “The mother, Madame Cottrez, has admitted to having voluntarily suffocated (to death) the newborns at birth between 1989 and 2006 or 2007.”
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said: “Monsieur Cottrez told investigators that he never knew his wife was pregnant as she is rather stout or that she got rid of the children immediately following their births.”
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said: “His whole world turned upside down.”
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said: “Madame Cottrez has confirmed her husband's accounts.”
• Pierre-Jean Gribouva said: “My client is in a deep state of shock,” and “He had no idea about this. He has totally fallen apart.”
• Pierre-Jean Gribouva said: “I believe she has serious problems,” and “There is no rejection of her as a wife and mother.”
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said: “She explained she did not want to have any more children and that she did not want to see a doctor to obtain a method of contraception.”
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said: “There are numerous remaining investigations that need to be done to try to understand, without excusing her, what led Madame Cottrez to act this way.”
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said: “We are in the presence of an extraordinary case considering the number of newborns.”
• The daughters’ statements included: Virginie said: “We never noticed anything. She had moments of fatigue, it's true, but she was working almost 24 hours a day. She would wake up early for her work as a nurse's home aid, and when she would return home, she had her housework.”
• Emeline said: “For us, it's something that one sees on television, but not in a little town like ours,” and said: “She describes their mother as a caring person who often babysat her grandchildren.”
• Mayor Patrick Mercier was quoted: “She had not much contacts with the population,” and “He was a lot more extrovert. He was a member of the village's recreation committee” and the local council.
• Mayor Mercier was also quoted about the husband: “He was a member of the village's recreation committee” and the local council, referring to the husband.
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said of the father: “The sky has fallen in on his head,” and “He indicated he had no idea she was pregnant.”
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said: “The sky has fallen in on his head,” and “I personally still had doubts” about the father’s story.
• Prosecutor Eric Vaillant said: “The sky has fallen in on his head,” and described “doubts” about the father’s account.
• The village priest Father Robert Meignotte said: “I'm thinking of all the children [in the world] who didn't ask to be born and were thrown out a few hours later,” and “I'm very upset. I baptise five children every Sunday in the 17 villages of the parish. You don't just throw children out like that... It's incomprehensible.”
• The material included a quote attributed to Dominique Cottrez’s attorney: “She is adamant about the fact that she did not bury the babies in the garden. She also says it is definitely not her husband. We don't know who did it but she is certain she didn't do it and neither did her husband.”
• A psychotherapist, Lucy Beresford, was quoted: “very little was known about incidences of infanticide because it was a taboo subject.”
• Lucy Beresford said: “slim,” and about denial or concealment: “high-risk” group.
• Lucy Beresford said: “It could actually be to do with the social isolation of the mother, or it could be their psychopathology prior to pregnancy.”
• Lucy Beresford said: “For example, do they have a history of substance abuse or other mental health concerns that have contributed to them being in this situation which they cannot accept as a reality?”
• Lucy Beresford said: “That could be because when they're depressed they're not really of sound mind.”
• Lucy Beresford said: “It could be that they genuinely believe they are unworthy to be a parent.”
• Lucy Beresford said: “Or it could just be the level of disordered thinking that comes with being depressed.”
• Police prosecutor Eric Vaillant’s statements also included: “She knew that she was pregnant every time, and she has admitted this,” and “answered in a very straightforward way.”
• A CNN affiliate quote included: “falling apart,” attributed to her attorney’s description.