Mother sentenced to 10 years for killing 22-month-old son who resembled husband: "Life ended in unimaginable pain"

Son Starved to Death Then Body Dumped in Hangang
Crime Committed Because Resembled Husband During Separation

"Anger Toward Husband Cannot Justify the Crime"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] A mother who failed to properly feed her 22-month-old son, ultimately causing his death and then abandoning his body in the Han River, has been sentenced to a heavy prison term.

According to the court on the 7th, the Seoul Eastern District Court Criminal Division 11 (Chief Judge Son Joo-chul) sentenced Ms. A to 10 years in prison on the 4th for charges including child abuse resulting in death and corpse abandonment. She was also ordered to complete 40 hours of a child abuse treatment program and was banned from employment at child-related institutions for 10 years.

Ms. A, who had conflicts with her husband, was found to have been caring alone for her daughter B (4) and son C (then 2 years old) since around November 2018. She abused C for about four months, including withholding food because she "hated him so much for being too much like his father."

On October 7 of last year, C showed abnormal symptoms such as difficulty breathing properly and eventually died. Ms. A sealed the body in a delivery box and stored it at her residence for five days. Later, when B said, "There is a strange smell," Ms. A abandoned the body in the Han River near Jamsil Bridge in the early morning of the 12th of the same month.

The court stated, "The victim child was about 22 months old at the time of death and was neglected by his mother, who had the duty to protect and raise him, ending his life amid unimaginable hunger and pain. Considering that the abuse led to the child's death, the infringement of legal interests is extremely tragic."

It added, "Although the marital life was not smooth and she harbored negative feelings toward her husband, which seemed to have been projected onto C, the crime cannot be justified by anger toward the husband, and severe punishment is inevitable."

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