A Childcare Teacher Who Hit a Child for Sleeping and Made Them Stand at Attention for Crying

Suspended Sentence for 30s on Infant Abuse Charges
Daycare Center Director Fined 3 Million Won

A childcare teacher was sentenced to a suspended prison term for wrapping a one-year-old infant who would not sleep in a blanket and hitting or pinching the child, and making the crying child stand at attention for about 40 minutes.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] A childcare teacher who wrapped a one-year-old infant in a blanket and hit or pinched the child for not sleeping, and made the crying child stand at attention for about 40 minutes, was sentenced to a suspended prison term.

On the 30th, according to Chuncheon District Court, the Criminal Division 2 (Chief Judge Jin Won-du) sentenced A (39, female), who was indicted for violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes, to 1 year and 2 months in prison with a 3-year suspension.

In addition, she was ordered to perform 320 hours of community service, attend 40 hours of child abuse recidivism prevention lectures, and was banned from employment at child-related institutions for 5 years.

A, who worked as a childcare teacher at a daycare center in Hongcheon-gun, was brought to trial on charges of physical and emotional abuse of four one-year-old infants from May to June last year.

A wrapped a child in a blanket and laid the child on the floor, then hit the child's back and buttocks 10 times when the child did not sleep.

Also, when another child cried in the classroom, A made the child stand at attention and held the child's body with both hands to prevent movement, continuing such abuse for about 40 minutes while other children were asleep.

A also hit the buttocks of a child who climbed onto a mat placed on the classroom table, or struck the child's back hard enough to make the child fall to the floor.

The court stated, "The defendant's abusive acts infringe on the health of children who are physically and mentally immature," and "there is a high potential risk as it can negatively affect the growth and development of the victimized children."

The court also said, "It appears that the excessive behavior occurred in the process of actively disciplining the victimized children," and "considering the fact that there is no prior criminal record."

Furthermore, the court fined B (46, female), the director of the daycare center who was indicted on the same charges as A, 3 million won, stating that she "did not properly exercise caution and supervision to prevent abusive acts."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.