"Death Due to Abdominal Injury"... Parents of 16-Month-Old Adopted Child Who Died from Abuse Indicted

Prosecution Indicts Mother of Victimized Child with Detention
Husband Indicted without Detention

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Parents who abused and caused the death of a 16-month-old adopted child have been brought to trial.

The Women and Child Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Jung-woo) announced on the 9th that they have arrested and indicted the victim child's mother, Jang, on charges of child abuse resulting in death.

Jang is accused of repeatedly assaulting and abusing the adopted victim child, A, from June to October, delivering strong blows to her back and other areas, which led to her death. Investigations revealed that A’s small intestine, large intestine, pancreas, and other organs were damaged, and she died from abdominal injuries caused by these damages. In addition to the fatal abdominal injuries, fractures and hemorrhages of different ages were found throughout A’s body, including the occiput, left clavicle, right ulna, and femur.

Jang reportedly stated that she became angry when A refused to eat, hit her stomach, lifted her up and shook her, and then dropped her on the floor. Based on video footage of A on the day of death and testimony from neighbors who heard a "thud" sound, the prosecution concluded that Jang assaulted A, causing her death. They also viewed that Jang adopted A, who was close in age to her biological daughter, without much consideration and abused her due to stress from child-rearing.

A died on October 13 at a hospital in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Upon arrival at the hospital, she had severe injuries to her abdomen and brain, and hospital staff suspected child abuse and reported it to the police. The National Forensic Service conducted a detailed autopsy and concluded that A’s cause of death was "abdominal injury caused by external force."

The prosecution also indicted Jang’s husband without detention on charges of child abandonment and neglect for knowing about the abuse but failing to take any action.

A was adopted by the couple in February of this year. There were three reports of child abuse afterward, but the police and child protection agencies failed to find evidence of abuse and returned A to the parents each time. This led to criticism that the police’s lax response exacerbated the problem, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency disciplined officers who failed to take appropriate measures despite the abuse reports.

The prosecution stated, "We held a 'Child Abuse Case Management Meeting' with university professors, child protection agencies, adoption agencies, and judicial police officers to discuss measures to prevent recurrence of child abuse," and added, "We plan to propose improvement measures to related organizations."

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