A citizen is placing a bouquet to commemorate the middle school girls found dead in an apartment in Cheongju, Chungbuk on the 12th. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] A petition demanding strict punishment for a suspect accused of abusing his stepdaughter and committing sexual crimes against the daughter's friend in Cheongju, Chungbuk, has been posted on the Blue House National Petition board.
On the 14th, a post titled "Please conduct a strict investigation and punishment for the stepfather who caused the death of two middle school students" was uploaded to the National Petition board.
The petitioner stated, "Recently, there was a tragic incident where two female middle school friends died together," adding, "The perpetrator who caused their deaths is none other than the stepfather of one of them. He, who should have cared for and protected the children, is said to have abused his stepdaughter and committed sexual crimes against her friend."
He continued, "Although the students bravely reported the abuse, the arrest warrant for the stepfather was rejected twice on the grounds that additional investigation was needed," and said, "Despite many testimonies, the fact that he was not properly detained makes me deeply saddened when I think about how much helplessness and fear the children must have felt."
He said, "The young students ultimately made a heartbreaking choice," and raised his voice, "Please pay close attention to ensure that the deaths of these students are not in vain, and punish the perpetrator severely so that such heartbreaking incidents never happen again."
A petition titled "Please conduct a thorough investigation and punish the stepfather who caused the death of two middle school students," posted on the Blue House National Petition Board on the 14th./Photo by Blue House Board Capture
According to the police, at around 5:11 p.m. on the 12th, a passerby found two second-year middle school students, A and B, collapsed in a flower bed at an apartment complex in Ochang-eup, Cheongju.
The 119 rescue team, who responded to the report, performed CPR and transported them to a nearby hospital, but they ultimately passed away. The two friends attended different middle schools in Cheongju.
The police are considering that they made an extreme choice based on a note presumed to be a suicide letter found at the scene.
According to the investigation, A had been under police investigation for sexual crime victimization, and B was a victim of child abuse. They had received investigations and counseling from related agencies during their lifetime.
The suspect under investigation for A's sexual crime report is known to be C, the stepfather of B. C is also suspected of abusing his stepdaughter B.
The police applied for an arrest warrant for C on charges of violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, but the prosecution rejected it twice, citing the need for supplementary investigation.
The police plan to investigate the exact circumstances of the deaths with the bereaved family and others, and after additional investigation, reapply for an arrest warrant for C.
※ If you or someone around you is struggling with difficult feelings such as depression, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling at the Suicide Prevention Hotline ☎1577-0199, Hope Call ☎129, Life Line ☎1588-9191, or Youth Phone ☎1388.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
