Military Prosecutors Indict on Murder Charges
An army non-commissioned officer who neglected his sick wife, leading to her death, has been brought to trial on charges of murder.
An army non-commissioned officer who neglected his wife leading to her death has been charged with murder. SBS The ItsKnow Report footage
According to the Army on December 16, the Army Criminal Investigation Division initially referred Sergeant A to prosecutors on charges of death by abandonment. However, military prosecutors indicted him the previous day on charges of murder.
The military prosecutors determined that murder by omission-failing to perform a duty-could be established. Therefore, the primary charge is murder, and the secondary, alternative charge is death by abandonment.
On November 17, in Gwangtan-myeon, Paju, A called emergency services, reporting that "my wife is losing consciousness."
When paramedics arrived at the scene, A's wife was found with her entire body contaminated by filth. In particular, her lower body showed signs of skin necrosis due to infection and bedsores.
A's wife died while receiving treatment at the hospital.
The hospital reported the case, suspecting neglect, and the police arrested A on an emergency warrant.
Investigations revealed that since August, after A's wife became immobile due to panic disorder and depression, she developed bedsores all over her body. However, A failed to provide hospital treatment or protective care for approximately three months.
A is reportedly denying the charges. According to the December 13 episode of the SBS current affairs program "The ItsKnow," A claimed during police questioning, "I didn't realize my wife's condition was this serious."
Kang Namgyu, an emergency medicine specialist, explained, "If she had received care ten days earlier, she might have survived. It appears she died in the early stages of sepsis. Since she was a healthy young person, there was hope for resuscitation."
He further diagnosed, "The decomposition on the buttocks is indeed due to bedsores, but the inflammation and necrosis on the shoulders, abdomen, and legs are from other causes. The necrosis on the right shoulder is a recent wound, likely caused by a stab injury."
He also pointed out the possibility that the deceased wife may have been assaulted. Dr. Kang stated, "The chest CT shows fractures from the first to the sixth rib. The first and second ribs do not break even during CPR, so this raises suspicion of external force."
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