A Man in His 30s Who Sprayed Adhesive into a 4-Month-Old Infant's Eye Out of Malice Receives Double Sentence in Second Trial

Sentence increased from 2 years 6 months in the first trial to 5 years in the second trial
Court: "The crime was planned, so the culpability is very serious"

A woman in her 30s who sprayed instant adhesive on a 4-month-old infant was sentenced to twice the prison term in the appellate court compared to the first trial. Photo by Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] A woman in her 30s who harbored resentment and sprayed superglue on the 1-year-old daughter of a former coworker was sentenced to twice the prison term in the appellate court compared to the first trial.

The Incheon District Court Criminal Appeals Division 3 (Presiding Judge Han Dae-gyun) announced on the 26th that it overturned the original sentence of 2 years and 6 months imprisonment for A, who was charged with child abuse under the Child Welfare Act and special injury, and sentenced her to 5 years in prison.

The appellate court ordered A to complete an 80-hour child abuse treatment program and restricted her from working at child-related institutions for 10 years.

Regarding the sentencing, the appellate court stated, "The defendant deliberately sprayed superglue into both eyes of the victim, who was only 4 months old, and then committed the same act on both nostrils of the victim, making the crime extremely serious."

Furthermore, the court said, "The defendant concealed the crime by going to the hospital with the victim’s parents after the first offense," and "Although caught during the second offense, she reported the victim’s parents to the police for defamation, showing very unfavorable circumstances after the crime."

A was charged with spraying superglue into the eyes of C, the 4-month-old daughter of B, a former coworker, at B’s home in Namdong-gu, Incheon, around 2:55 p.m. on September 4 last year.

It was investigated that she committed the crime while B went to the balcony to check the washing machine. As the superglue hardened, C was unable to open her eyes properly and was taken to the emergency room, where she had to undergo treatment to remove glued eyelashes for nearly a month.

After the first crime was not discovered, A contacted B saying "I want to see C," and on the 30th of the same month, she visited B’s home and sprayed superglue into C’s nostrils as well.

At that time, she committed the crime while B went to the kitchen to get a baby bottle, and C’s nasal mucosa was damaged, requiring hospital treatment.

Fortunately, C did not suffer damage to her cornea or eyesight, nor did she develop respiratory problems. However, it is known that after the incident, she cried when seeing strangers and experienced eating disorders for some time.

A initially denied all charges but later confessed, saying, "I once heard from B that 'You drink so often, what will the child to be born later learn from that?' so I had bad feelings."