"‘Cried and hit but didn’t wake up...’ Foster father of 2-year-old adopted child arrested for abuse"

Foster father A, who was charged with serious injury under the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes for abusing a two-year-old adopted child and leaving the child in an unconscious state, is coming out of the detention center at Suwon Nambu Police Station in Gyeonggi-do on the afternoon of the 11th to attend the pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant review).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] A man in his 30s, who abused a 2-year-old adopted child leaving the child in an unconscious state, was arrested on the 11th. Judge Oh Daeseok of the Suwon District Court, responsible for warrants, issued an arrest warrant for the adoptive father, Mr. A, in the afternoon, stating, "The seriousness of the crime and the risk of evidence tampering are recognized."

As Mr. A left the Suwon Nambu Police Station, when reporters asked, "Aren't you sorry for the child?" he replied, "I am sorry and feel remorse for the child," but did not answer questions about whether he admitted to the charges.

Mr. A is accused of violently striking the face and head of the adopted child, Ms. B (2), on the morning of the 8th, causing her to lose consciousness (charged with serious injury under the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes).

Ms. B was taken unconscious to a nearby hospital in Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi Province, around 6 p.m. the same day and was later transferred to Gil Hospital in Incheon. Medical staff found bruises all over Ms. B's body along with a brain hemorrhage and reported suspected abuse to the police.

The police judged that Ms. B was unconscious due to abuse and urgently arrested Mr. A.

During the police investigation, Mr. A admitted to the abuse, stating, "The child kept whining that morning, so I hit her a few times with my hand. Later, she fell asleep, but after a few hours, she did not wake up even when I tried, so I took her to the hospital."

Meanwhile, the police have also booked and are investigating Mrs. C, the wife who neither stopped the assault nor took the child to the hospital, on charges of neglect under the Child Welfare Act.

Mrs. C, who holds a social worker qualification, is known to have met Ms. B while volunteering at a childcare facility with Mr. A. Later, she said she "felt pity" and adopted Ms. B in August of last year.