Man in His 60s Takes Photo of Bleeding Wife, Sends It to Daughter, Then Leaves to Play Tennis

Incheon District Court Sentences Defendant to 1 Year and 6 Months in Prison, Suspended for 2 Years

A man in his 60s who left his wife bleeding and collapsed at home alone while he went out to play tennis has received a suspended prison sentence.

On May 15, Yonhap News reported that Judge Jeong Jemin of the Incheon District Court Criminal Division 9 sentenced Mr. A (age 64), who was indicted without detention on charges of abandonment resulting in injury, to one year and six months in prison, suspended for two years.

Mr. A was brought to trial on charges of leaving his wife, Ms. B (in her 50s), bleeding and collapsed at their home in Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, at approximately 6:12 p.m. on May 9, 2023, resulting in her injury. At the time, he had returned home to change clothes before going to play tennis and discovered his wife collapsed. Without taking any action, Mr. A took a photo of Ms. B and sent it to his stepdaughter, then immediately left the house. Ms. B was found bleeding on the bathroom floor due to a traumatic subdural hemorrhage, a type of brain hemorrhage. She was later transported to the hospital by emergency responders who arrived after her daughter called for help, but she fell into a brain-dead state.

During the police investigation, Mr. A reportedly stated, "There have been previous reports of domestic violence," and "I didn't want to get further involved with my wife over such matters, so I just left her." In the past, Mr. A had been criminally charged three times for domestic violence incidents, but it is reported that the cases were dismissed due to the victim's expressed wish not to pursue punishment.

The court explained, "The defendant has admitted to abandoning the victim, and this is recognized as a crime," but added, "For the victim's brain-dead state to be attributed to the abandonment, there must be a significant causal relationship between the act and the result." The court further stated, "Based solely on the evidence submitted by the prosecution, it is not possible to determine exactly when Ms. B's subdural hemorrhage (brain hemorrhage) occurred," and "It is difficult to conclude that the victim would not have fallen into unconsciousness even if the defendant had taken immediate protective measures."

Regarding the sentencing, the court said, "It is difficult to hold the defendant responsible for the injury itself, but considering that he left the victim unattended after seeing bloodstains and went out, the degree of abandonment is considered serious, and the victim's side is also petitioning for a severe punishment." However, the court also took into account "the defendant's remorseful attitude and the fact that, prior to this incident, he had been advised by the police during previous domestic violence investigations not to physically touch the victim." During the sentencing hearing in March, the prosecution had requested a seven-year prison sentence for Mr. A.