Stepmother and Biological Father Abused Multiple Times
Withheld Food for 6 Months
Concealed the Fact of Not Sending to School
The punishment for a stepmother and biological father who repeatedly abused elementary school-aged brothers?forcing them out of the house in the cold winter and assaulting them multiple times?was revealed in court. Even the judge, who recounted the couple’s crimes, was moved to tears.
On the 18th, Judge Kim Su-jeong of Suwon District Court Criminal Division 11 sentenced stepmother A to four years in prison and biological father B to three years in prison on charges of habitual child abuse. Additionally, they were ordered to complete 40 hours of a child abuse treatment program and were banned from employment at child-related institutions for five years.
Previously, from May 2021 to December of the following year, A abused the elementary school-aged brothers 23 times at their residence in Gyeonggi Province. When the eldest son bought a flower basket for her birthday, A struck his palm multiple times with a metal rod, saying, "Don’t waste money." While intoxicated, she also repeatedly hit the younger son’s face until he had a nosebleed. The brothers often went hungry for extended periods because they were told they "did not deserve to eat." When bruises from the beatings appeared, they were not sent to school. On Christmas Eve 2022, despite the winter cold, the brothers were kicked out of the house.
The biological father, B, was aware of A’s abusive behavior but merely turned a blind eye. He even participated in beating the children. Judge Kim stated, "The defendants, fearing their violence would be exposed, prevented the children from attending school under the pretext of experiential learning. The brothers, who should have received absolute love and protection from their parents at such a young age, instead suffered severe harm from those very parents." He added, "They exploited the vulnerable status of the children, who had no choice but to rely entirely on them, inflicting merciless physical and emotional abuse. Yet, they hastily excused their actions by blaming the children’s behavioral problems for the corporal punishment."
Judge Kim further said, "There is no evidence to suggest problems in the children’s school life, and even if there were, beating the children until they were covered in bruises, withholding food for six months, and using violence and threats cannot be justified as disciplinary measures." He recounted crimes that influenced his judgment, such as forcing the children to write reflection essays without letting them sleep and strangling the older brother because he failed to monitor his younger sibling. During this, Judge Kim’s eyes welled up with tears and he choked up.
Judge Kim noted, "Considering the defendants’ statements, they do not appear to be sincerely remorseful. The stepmother did not try to overcome the hardships of life together with her husband but instead blamed the young victims and tried to resolve her difficulties through abuse. The biological father neglected the abuse for a long time, participated in it, and also committed violence alone. He irresponsibly shifted the responsibility of raising the sons onto their elderly grandmother, showing no sign of repentance."
Regarding the letters from the abused children seeking their father’s forgiveness, the judge said, "There is a high possibility that these were prompted by other relatives, so they were not given significant weight as a mitigating factor." In her final statement, A tearfully said, "I caused unforgettable wounds due to my wrong judgment, thinking I had to correct the children’s bad habits. I am not qualified to be a mother, but I will strive for the day when the children can forgive me." B pleaded, "I committed unforgivable wrongs against the children. I sincerely want to apologize to them and will do my best to live for their sake."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
