A German court sentenced a 30-year-old man to 13 years in prison on Wednesday for attempting to murder his one-year-old daughter by injecting mercury into her foot. The court sentenced his 34-year-old girlfriend to 12 years in prison for her role.

Reports said that the man lives in Springe, near Hannover, and wants to take revenge on his girlfriend, who is said to have left him since the birth of his daughter. Reports indicate that they administered mercury to him, aware that it would not immediately kill him, but instead cause him excruciating pain.

Afterwards, the child developed a serious infection at the site of the foot injection and, more terrifyingly, rashes all over the body. Mercury was later coincidentally identified in the child following surgery.

Both defendants initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, but they later confessed before the trial concluded. Back in July, the child was admitted to injecting mercury into his foot and ankle. The source of mercury is still unknown.

The accused have the right to appeal. Under German privacy laws, the names of the defendants and the child remain anonymous under the laws that protect privacy in Germany.