Stepfather and Biological Mother of 10-Year-Old Girl in Changnyeong Charged with 'Hell Abuse'... Sentencing Requests of 10 and 7 Years

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kang Sharon] The prosecution has demanded 10 years and 7 years in prison respectively for the stepfather (36) and biological mother (29) who were tried on charges of brutally abusing a 10-year-old girl.

On the 18th, at the Changwon District Court Miryang Branch, the first criminal division (Chief Judge Kim Jong-su) held a sentencing hearing for the stepfather and biological mother indicted on charges including habitual child abuse.

The prosecution stated that due to the seriousness of the case and the cruelty of the methods, the victim child suffered significant physical and mental harm, and requested 10 years imprisonment for the stepfather and 7 years for the biological mother.

They also added that it was difficult to specify the exact times and occasions because the victim child was frequently beaten by the stepfather, and that the desire for severe punishment was also taken into consideration.

The biological mother explained that she showed symptoms of schizophrenia and has the responsibility to raise the other children as the reason for the sentencing request.

The couple had denied some charges in the first trial, claiming that their memory was not clear due to diminished mental capacity.

Earlier, they were accused of abusing their daughter, A, for four months from January this year by tying her with chains and burning the tops and soles of her feet with heated metal chopsticks.

A, who had to endure horrific torture-like abuse, escaped from home on May 29 and was found by a resident running on a road in Changnyeong wearing pajamas.

The prosecution applied charges including habitual special injury, confinement, habitual child abandonment and neglect, and habitual child abuse against the couple.

The sentencing hearing for the couple will be held on the 16th of next month.