Mother Who Abandoned Newborn at Church 12 Years Ago Now Abandons 3-Week-Old Baby... Sentenced to Probation

Abandoned a 3-Day-Old Baby at Church 12 Years Ago
Last Year, a 21-Day-Old Infant Left at a Catholic Church

A biological mother who abandoned her newborn twice, once by the wall next to a Catholic church and once on the church entrance stairs, was sentenced to a suspended prison term.

According to the legal community on the 5th, Kim Seok-su, Chief Judge of Criminal Division 2 at Daegu District Court, sentenced a woman in her 30s, identified as A, who was indicted for violating the Child Welfare Act (child abandonment and neglect), to 1 year and 4 months in prison with a 2-year suspension.

In May 2013, A abandoned her 3-day-old baby boy in front of a church in Dalseo-gu, Daegu, and left the scene. Additionally, in July of last year, she left a 21-day-old baby boy under the wall of a Catholic church in Dalseong-gun and left, resulting in two separate instances of abandoning her newborns, for which she was prosecuted.

The court stated the sentencing reasons as follows: "Considering that the defendant appeared to have left the scene after confirming that the abandoned children were safely rescued by others, that this is her first offense, and that she is reflecting on her wrongdoing." However, the court exempted the defendant from the employment restriction order requested by the prosecution. Taking into account the defendant's age, occupation, risk of recidivism, the nature and motive of the crime, the degree of disadvantage and expected side effects the defendant would suffer from the employment restriction order, and the preventive and protective effects for child abuse crimes that could be achieved, the court judged that there were special circumstances under which the employment restriction order should not be imposed on the defendant.