Mother charged over baby's death

A 20-year-old British woman has been charged with causing the death of her new-born baby in a hotel room on the Greek island of Crete.

Leah Andrew, from London, who gave birth alone in a hotel room in Malia, is accused of infanticide.

Local police said the baby boy was found with sheets around his neck and covering his face.

Ms Andrew, who had been on holiday, is due to appear in court in capital Heraklion on Thursday.

She is under guard in hospital, suffering from heavy bleeding following the birth.

Local police say she is not on suicide watch but that she was being observed by two officers simply because she was under arrest.

Night out

Unlike the charge of murder, infanticide does not carry a life sentence.

Officers said Ms Andrew had travelled to Crete for a holiday with a family member and a female friend from the UK.

She had gone out for the night with her companions but returned to the room alone where she gave birth to a baby boy, police added.

She was found early on Monday morning.

A Foreign Office spokesman said the British Consulate on Crete was providing a woman and her family with assistance.