Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency: "If there are two reports of suspected child abuse or visible injuries, separate the child from the parents"

Yangcheon 16-Month-Old Adopted Child Abuse Death Case
"Police Response Inadequacies Confirmed"

Mother A, accused of abuse resulting in the death of her 16-month-old adopted child, is heading to a transport vehicle after undergoing a pre-arrest detention hearing at the Southern District Court in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 11th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The police have reportedly issued guidelines to separate children from their parents when there are two reports of suspected child abuse and when there are wounds or bruises on the child's body.

On the 16th, Song Min-heon, Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency, stated at a press briefing, "We have issued common guidelines so that field officers can take proactive measures."

He added, "Currently, the Child Abuse Punishment Act has strict regulations, making it difficult for the police to intervene. We need to establish legal provisions and broadly recognize the police's authority for preventive measures."

Regarding the recent case of abuse and death of a 16-month-old adopted child in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, the police conducted a thorough review with the Women's and Juvenile Division and the National Police Agency's Inspection Division to assess whether the response was appropriate. During this process, the police determined that there were some shortcomings in their response. At that time, the police received three reports of suspected abuse but failed to find evidence of abuse.

Song said, "We have requested an inspection investigation from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency," and added, "We are also investigating whether supervisors recognized the importance of the case and properly managed and supervised it."

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