Stepfather who abused 8-year-old daughter played 'game' even before her death: "It's not murder"

Stepfather A and biological mother B, who are accused of abusing and causing the death of their 8-year-old daughter, entered the Incheon District Court in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, on the morning of March 5 to undergo a pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant review). [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] A man in his 20s, who was prosecuted for abusing his 8-year-old stepdaughter to death, was found to have been engrossed in smartphone games even while his daughter was collapsed in the bathroom for about two hours.

At the first trial held on the 4th under the jurisdiction of the Criminal Division 15 of Incheon District Court (Chief Judge Lee Gyuhun), A (27), who was charged with murder, habitual child abuse under the Child Welfare Act, and habitual child abandonment and neglect, admitted to the abuse but denied the intent to kill.

The defense attorney of the biological mother B (28), who was also prosecuted, said, "The review of the records was delayed," and added, "After reorganizing the charges, we will explain them to the defendant and present specific opinions at the next trial date." B, who appeared in court holding a newborn, was released on March 3rd due to suspension of detention, gave birth in early last month, and was then re-incarcerated in the detention center.

According to the prosecution, the couple abused C (8) a total of 35 times until early March, hitting her all over with fists or hangers and forcing her to do "lying face down and stretching" because she lied or could not control her bladder or bowels. It was also confirmed that from August last year, C was fed only plain rice or starved.

Two days before C’s death, B stripped off all of C’s underwear after she urinated in the living room while still wearing clothes, made her take a cold shower, and left her without drying for about two hours. At that time, A was found to have played mobile games in the living room with his son D (9) even after seeing C collapsed in the bathroom.

A later moved C to a room and attempted artificial respiration, but when her pulse weakened, he broke the hanger he usually used for abuse and threw it out the veranda. He tried to cover up the incident by telling his wife to say, "I hit her about five times."

In court that day, A’s defense attorney stated, "We admit to habitual child abuse and habitual child abandonment and neglect," and argued, "We also admit the facts of the murder charge, but deny the intent to kill and the causal relationship between the defendant’s actions and the victim’s death."

The couple was arrested and indicted on March 2 for abusing C to death at a villa in Unnam-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon. C was found dead with bruises all over her face and body.