The Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency announced on August 3 that it has booked a woman in her 20s, referred to as Ms. A, without detention on charges including child abandonment and neglect, after she left her two-year-old baby alone at home for three days during an ongoing heatwave.
According to the police and fire authorities, a report of suspected child neglect was received on July 29 in the afternoon at a villa in Yangju City.
When firefighters arrived at the scene, they confirmed that the baby was alone inside the home. However, since the door was locked, they used a fire ladder truck to enter through a window.
The house was filled with garbage, and the two-year-old baby was left alone and unattended. Although it was a period of extreme heat, an electric fan was running at the time.
The investigation revealed that Ms. A had left the baby alone for approximately three days while she was away from home.
During this period, Ms. A did not provide any basic care for the child, such as feeding or changing diapers.
However, it was reported that some food items were within the child's reach inside the house.
The baby was found to have been exposed to an unsanitary environment for an extended period and had not eaten properly, resulting in poor health. However, the baby's life was not in danger, and the child is currently under protective care.
The police determined that Ms. A's neglect was severe and applied for an arrest warrant. However, the prosecution dismissed the request after considering various aspects of the case.
It is reported that Ms. A has been raising the child alone after separating from her husband.
The police are conducting further investigations into the exact circumstances and motives surrounding the incident involving Ms. A.
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