Sent to Prosecution on Charges of Violating the Elderly Welfare Act
A caregiver at a nursing hospital was sent to the prosecution on charges of violating the Elderly Welfare Act for assaulting a patient in her 90s because she would not sleep. The victim, who complained of abdominal pain, was transferred to a nearby large hospital and later died, but due to a lack of evidence proving injury, only the abuse charge was applied.
On the 7th, the Paju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced that they had sent a woman in her 50s of Chinese nationality (Joseonjok) identified as Ms. A to the prosecution without detention on the 1st on charges of violating the Elderly Welfare Act (elder abuse).
Ms. A is accused of assaulting a woman in her 90s, Ms. B, whom she was caring for, by covering her with a blanket at a nursing hospital in Geumchon-dong, Paju City on the 10th of last month. Ms. B complained of abdominal pain and was transferred to a nearby large hospital. However, after being diagnosed with intestinal obstruction and hernia and being deemed inoperable, she was moved back to the nursing hospital, and Ms. B passed away around 6 p.m. on the 12th.
The case was reported by the nursing hospital, which diagnosed the cause of Ms. B’s death as natural death due to rectal cancer based on the large hospital’s medical opinion. However, the bereaved family claims that the cause of Ms. B’s death was not natural but due to Ms. A’s assault, asserting injury resulting in death.
According to the police investigation, Ms. A began caring for Ms. B through a caregiver agency three days before the incident, on the 7th. Ms. A reportedly stated that she assaulted Ms. B because she was angry that the elderly woman would not sleep.
The police intended to request an autopsy from the National Forensic Service, but it was not conducted as the family held the funeral. Additionally, on the day of the incident, the bereaved family reportedly submitted a settlement agreement and a letter of no punishment regarding Ms. A to the police after discussions with the hospital.
A police official explained, "There was no closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage capturing the assault, and there was insufficient evidence to prove injury. It was investigated that Ms. B died from pre-existing conditions, and since the assault was confirmed, Ms. A was sent to prosecution on charges of elder abuse."
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