An American tourist has been identified after allegedly throwing her newborn baby out of a second-story window at a Paris hotel, resulting in the infant’s death.
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According to the Daily Mail, the accused is an 18-year-old woman from Oregon who was traveling through a $43,000-per-year gap year program.
Mia McQuillin, 18, was traveling through Europe with a group of young people during her gap year between high school and college when she unexpectedly gave birth at the ibis Styles hotel in the city’s administrative district, according to French authorities speaking to the Mail.
Authorities are investigating whether McQuillin, who was raised in a $1 million bungalow in Bend, may have experienced “pregnancy denial”—either unaware of her pregnancy or unable to accept it—when she allegedly threw the infant out of a window early Monday morning around 6 a.m., officials told the outlet.
The baby, still attached to its umbilical cord according to witnesses, could not be revived following the fall.
The woman’s grandfather, Ralph McQuillin, told the Daily Mail he was unable to comment on the tragic incident. “I don’t know anything,” he insisted.
“And that’s pretty much where the family is,” he added. “That’s all I can say.”
Woman Who Allegedly Threw Her Newborn Baby From Hotel Window Part of ‘Gap Year’ Program
McQuillin was traveling through Europe with a group of young adults as part of the EF Gap Year program. In a statement, the company expressed being “deeply shocked and saddened” by the tragic incident.
“We are fully cooperating with local authorities as they continue their investigation. Counseling support has been offered to all group members, and we are extending our support to the impacted families,” the group said in a statement via The New York Post.
EF Gap Year offers young adults aged 18 to 22 the chance to “experience the world” while developing practical skills. According to their official website, the program focuses on fostering personal growth and creating meaningful experiences.
The program ranges in cost from $19,500 to $24,750 per semester or $43,750 for a full year. It offers students the opportunity to explore diverse destinations such as Germany, the Czech Republic, Australia, and Thailand.
Meanwhile, McQuillin was reportedly taken into police custody on Monday morning.
“It was still early this Monday morning. Around 6 a.m., this little piece of Paris woke up in the middle of a nightmare. I get chills just thinking about it,” a hotel worker said of the incident, per The Post.