"Out of Anger..." 20s Father Who Killed Infant Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison in Appeal Trial

The photo is unrelated to the article. Source=Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The court has handed down a heavy sentence to a heartless father who abused and caused the death of his two-month-old child.

On the 20th, the Criminal Division 1 of the Daejeon High Court (Chief Judge Lee Jun) dismissed both the appeals filed by A (25) and the prosecution, stating there was no problem with the original verdict.

According to the court, A was indicted for violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes (child abuse and death) and was sentenced to seven years in prison in the first trial.

Investigations revealed that last October, at a motel in Daejeon, A abused his child by throwing the baby onto the bed and hitting the back of the head with his hand.

In particular, during the abuse, A was found to have struck the child's forehead with a mobile phone and hit the face with a mini fan, which led the child to fall into a coma.

At the time of the abuse, the child was transferred to a university hospital in a coma and received treatment relying on a ventilator for five months but ultimately passed away last March. The child’s short life ended at just seven months old.

A reportedly stated that he abused the child because “the baby would not stop crying despite soothing, and I lost my temper.”

Regarding this case, the first trial court stated, “The defendant (A) had the duty to protect the victim child but abused a baby who was only two months old,” and sentenced him to imprisonment.

The second trial court’s judgment was no different. The court noted, “It appears the defendant committed the crime out of anger after the victim child’s mother suddenly notified him of a breakup,” but added, “However, the victim child was a young and vulnerable baby who needed protection and care from the defendant.”

It then maintained the original verdict, stating, “The defendant’s guilt is heavy as he took away the victim child’s entire life.”

Meanwhile, after the first trial, A appealed on the grounds that “the sentence was too harsh,” while the prosecution appealed claiming “the sentence was too light.”