'Could Have Stopped It'... Biological Mother Who Punched 4-Month-Old Baby, Second Child Also Died a Year Ago

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[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] It was recently revealed that a mother who was sentenced to 17 years in prison in the first trial for causing the death of her 4-month-old son by abuse had also caused the death of her 2-month-old son from a similar crime a year earlier.

According to the Michuhol Police Station in Incheon on the 14th, Ms. A (25, female), who was sentenced to 17 years in prison in the first trial for violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes (child abuse resulting in death, habitual injury, habitual abuse) and the Child Welfare Act (child abandonment and neglect), was investigated by the police in October 2019 for abusing her second child to death.

Her second child, born in April 2018, was hospitalized for treatment due to traumatic brain injury at 2 months old and died on October 24, 2019, after more than a year of treatment.

At that time, the police applied the charge of child abuse resulting in death against Ms. A and referred the case to the prosecution, but the prosecution dismissed the charges, and Ms. A was cleared of suspicion.

However, Ms. A was again under investigation for child abuse resulting in death concerning her third child, C (1 year old).

On October 30 last year, around 6:38 p.m., Ms. A and her husband, Mr. B (33), visited a hospital in Incheon to transfer the body of their 4-month-old son, C. They disguised C’s death as a simple accident.

However, police suspected child abuse and reviewed hospital records and investigation files related to C and Ms. A, securing opinions from a pathologist and forensic experts, which revealed their crime. It was confirmed that they had habitually abused C since July of the previous year, causing multiple fractures all over his body and neglecting him. Furthermore, from September of the same year, they increased the severity of abuse by hitting his head with fists and other means.

It was also found that in late October of the same year, they struck C’s head more than 20 to 30 times with fists, ultimately causing his death.

After a three-month investigation, the police uncovered the charge of child abuse resulting in death against C and arrested Ms. A and her husband on January 25.

Their first child, D (3 years old), was placed under the care of a child protection agency during the investigation of C’s abuse charges and is currently staying at a protective institution. The police also investigated abuse allegations against D but found no signs of abuse.

Ms. A was sentenced to 17 years in prison in the first trial and was ordered to complete 40 hours of a child abuse treatment program and was banned from employment in related institutions for 10 years. Ms. A’s husband was sentenced to 3 years in prison for aiding and abetting Ms. A’s crimes, including child abuse resulting in death, violating the Child Welfare Act (habitual child abandonment and neglect), ordered to complete 40 hours of a child abuse treatment program, and banned from employment in related institutions for 5 years.

The first trial court noted that although the charge of child abuse resulting in death for the second child was not prosecuted, the fact that the second child also died from head injuries and that the third child was again caused to die was reflected in the sentencing considerations.

The court stated, "Despite another child dying from head injuries and complications a year ago, the defendant abused another victim with similar head injuries and neglected them without any measures, resulting in the severe outcome of death. The culpability is heavy, and a severe sentence is inevitable," explaining the reason for the sentencing.