Children Left in Cockroach-Infested Home... Couple Booked

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] A couple who left their two- and three-year-old children unattended in a house with poor hygiene conditions have been booked by the police.

The Seoul Western Police Station announced on the 23rd that they have booked and are investigating Mr. A, in his 40s, and his wife Ms. B, in her 20s and originally from Vietnam, on charges of neglect under the Child Welfare Act.

According to the police, at around 9:50 p.m. the previous day, a resident report was received about "a house where babies were left unattended" in a villa in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. A neighbor discovered that only children were inside the house while inspecting various parts of the building for disinfection due to a cockroach infestation and then reported it.

The responding police confirmed that the children were alone in the house without their parents. The house, where only the children were present, was reportedly infested with cockroaches.

The police explained that, in coordination with the Child Protection Agency, the children were first separated and placed in their grandmother’s home. Their nutritional and health status is currently under investigation.

Ms. B was out at the time, and Mr. A had recently returned after working outside Seoul for a period. A police official stated, "We plan to summon the couple to investigate whether there was any abuse or other issues."