He was sentenced to 29 years in prison forvoluntary murder of his daughter Emanuela. Giuseppe Difonzo, 36 years old, he allegedly suffocated the little girl – who was only three months old – in hospital in Barion the night between 12 and 13 February 2016. This was established by the Court of Assizes of Appeal of Bari, at the end of the appeal judgment bis.
According to the reconstructions of the investigators, the little girl, born in October 2015, had returned to hospital several times, for a total of 67 days, precisely because of respiratory crises. Which, according to the prosecution, were provoked by the fatherwho also attempted to kill her at home on at least two other occasions.
The man had been sentenced in first instance to 16 years of imprisonment on charges of manslaughter, but in September 2020 the hypothesis was reclassified by the appeal judges as premeditated voluntary homicide, and Difonzo was sentenced to life imprisonment. In March 2022, the Court of Cassation overturned the conviction and the man was released from prison. The new appeal process, however, ended with a 29-year sentence (general mitigating circumstances were recognised).
There Munchausen syndrome by proxy
According to expert reports, Giuseppe Difonzo is suffering from “Munchausen syndrome by proxy”. It's about a psychiatric condition which takes its name from the German baron of the same name who lived in the 18th century, famous for his penchant for telling invented adventures just to attract attention.
“Munchausen syndrome by proxy” it is a mental illness, but also a form of abusein which a parent simulates or causes an illness in the childreporting non-existent symptoms or even harming those who depend on his care, so as to make them believe or actually make them sick. In this way, he attracts attention and compassion for himself.
The “illness” for which the child is brought for medical observation is generally long-standing: from the history and documentation it appears that the child has already undergone medical visits several times. The child is subjected to a wide range of tests, in the face of an inexplicable and varied clinical picture, and the therapies carried out do not (obviously) lead to any improvement in the symptoms.
Source: Vanity Fair
I’m Susan Karen, a professional writer and editor at World Stock Market. I specialize in Entertainment news, writing stories that keep readers informed on all the latest developments in the industry. With over five years of experience in creating engaging content and copywriting for various media outlets, I have grown to become an invaluable asset to any team.
