A man in his 30s who killed his mother for insurance money sentenced to 25 years in first trial

A woman in her 30s, who killed her mother by giving her a beverage mixed with automotive antifreeze to claim the death insurance money, is entering the Incheon District Court in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, on the afternoon of November 11 last year to undergo a pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

A woman in her 30s who secretly fed her mother automobile antifreeze to kill her for insurance money was sentenced to a heavy prison term.

The Criminal Division 14 of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Ryu Kyung-jin) sentenced A (38), who was charged with parricide and attempted parricide, to 25 years in prison at the sentencing hearing held on the 23rd. She was also ordered to undergo probation for five years after completing her sentence.

The court stated, "There is no lack of evidence submitted by the investigative agency to prove the facts of the crime," and judged that "parricide should be punished more severely than ordinary murder."

It added, "The defendant tried to conceal the crime and did not receive forgiveness from other bereaved family members," and explained the sentencing reasons by considering "that she is a first-time offender with no prior criminal record and deeply reflected in court."

Earlier, at the sentencing hearing held on the 3rd, the prosecution demanded life imprisonment for A, stating, "The defendant betrayed the bonds of kinship and committed an unforgivable crime in a planned manner."

A was arrested and indicted on charges of secretly feeding automobile antifreeze mixed in a beverage to her mother B, in her 60s, at a villa in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon, on September 23 last year, resulting in her death.

A had also attempted to kill B by secretly feeding her automobile antifreeze using the same method in January and June of last year.

However, after the crimes, she panicked and directly reported to 119 (emergency services). B was hospitalized and treated both times.

It was found that A committed the crime aiming for her mother’s insurance money after being pressured for repayment by a debt collection agency while engaging in so-called "rolling over" loans, repaying old debts with new loans.