Imelda Cortez, 20, says she became pregnant by her stepfather who sexually abused her for many years.

Doctors suspected she had tried to perform an abortion after she gave birth to a baby girl in a latrine in April of last year.

The child survived, but Ms Cortez was arrested and spent more than 18 months in custody as she awaited trial.

Prosecutors argued that her failure to tell anyone about the pregnancy and seek medical help after giving birth amounted to attempted murder, which carries a possible 20-year sentence.

But on Monday a court ruled that Ms Cortez, who was unaware that she was pregnant, had not tried to kill her child.

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