Mother Abusing 4-Year-Old Daughter Forced into Prostitution 2,400 Times Over a Year

Co-habitant Mr. B Forced to Engage in Prostitution 4-5 Times a Day

A woman in her 20s who abused her 4-year-old daughter by feeding her only formula for six months, leading to the child's death, was found to have been forced into prostitution about 2,400 times over a year due to 'gaslighting' (psychological manipulation) by her cohabitant.

The Criminal Division 6 of the Busan District Court (Chief Judge Kim Tae-eop) held a trial on the 28th for the mother, A (27), who was indicted on charges of violating the Child Abuse Punishment Act (child abuse homicide), and her cohabitant B (28, female), who was indicted for aiding and abetting child abuse homicide.

Originally, the court was scheduled to deliver the first trial verdict for A on the 24th, but upon confirming the additional fact that A had been forced by B to engage in prostitution more than 2,400 times over one and a half years, the verdict was postponed and the trial continued on this day.

According to the prosecution, A ran away from home in August 2020 due to domestic violence by her husband and began cohabiting with B and her spouse, whom she met through an online community. Initially, B treated A kindly, but later pressured her to do housework and earn money, forcing her into prostitution.

Prosecutors' investigation revealed that under B's coercion, A engaged in prostitution approximately 2,400 times (averaging 4 to 5 times daily) from July 2021 to December 2022. The 124.5 million won earned from prostitution was taken by B and her spouse.

The prosecution believes that B monitored all aspects of A's life, which led A to increasingly take out her frustrations on her child, resulting in physical abuse.

A was indicted for repeatedly assaulting her daughter's face and body around 6 a.m. on December 14 last year at their residence in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, causing the child's death. Investigations by the police and prosecution revealed that A's daughter suffered from continuous abuse, resulting in malnutrition and vision loss. At the time of death, the 4-year-old weighed only 7 kg, significantly less than peers.

B was prosecuted for neglecting to prevent the abuse, despite knowing that A was mistreating her daughter by feeding her only formula-mixed water once a day for six months. It is also reported that B did not take appropriate actions, such as providing medical expenses, even though she was aware that A's daughter was losing her eyesight.

The prosecution also sent B's husband, C (29), to trial without detention on charges of aiding and abetting habitual child abandonment and neglect under the Child Welfare Act.