[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The adoptive father in the 'Hwaseong Adopted Child Abuse Death Case,' who was accused of beating a 2-year-old adopted child to death, was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
On the 25th, the Criminal Division 15 of Suwon District Court (Chief Judge Jo Hyuok) handed down this sentence to the adoptive father A (36), who was indicted on charges including child abuse resulting in death. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of a child abuse treatment program and was banned from employment for 10 years.
The adoptive mother B (35), who was indicted on charges including child abuse resulting in death, was sentenced to 6 years in prison. She was also ordered to complete 80 hours of a child abuse treatment program and was banned from employment for 5 years.
The court stated, "A repeatedly struck the victim child's face and head strongly with minor reasons such as the child not stopping crying, causing brain hemorrhage and collapse," and "He left the unconscious child unattended for a long time, resulting in death, and must bear corresponding responsibility." Regarding the charge of child abuse resulting in death, the court also ruled that "the intent to kill can be recognized."
Furthermore, the court added, "B knew that the victim child was being severely abused but took no action other than saying 'Don't do that,'" and "She delayed taking the severely beaten and collapsed victim child to the hospital out of fear that the abuse would be revealed, so her guilt is not light."
However, considering that the couple is raising several children, the court did not detain B, who had been on trial without detention. A, who was in custody, remained imprisoned.
Earlier, A was indicted on charges of repeatedly beating the adopted child C (2), born in August 2018 and 33 months old at the time, with a wooden back scratcher, shoehorn, and hands from mid-April to early May at their residence in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, because the child did not obey and was stubborn. The couple was also charged with leaving C, who fell into a semi-comatose state due to the assault on May 8, unattended for about 7 hours without immediately taking her to the hospital.
C, who was later transferred to the hospital and received treatment, ultimately passed away on July 11.
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