Couple Who Beat 2-Week-Old Baby to Death Denies Abuse, Claims "Baby Fell Off Bed by Itself"

A couple in their 20s, arrested on charges of abusing their two-week-old baby to death, denied the child abuse allegations during police investigation. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Nana] A couple in their 20s arrested on charges of abusing and causing the death of their two-week-old baby claimed during police investigation that the baby moved on its own and fell off the bed, resulting in death.

According to the police on the 12th, the parents of the two-week-old baby who died on the 9th, A (24) and B (22, female), are being investigated on charges of child abuse resulting in death. They are suspected of abusing the baby at their officetel residence in Iksan-si, Jeonbuk.

The two-week-old baby was transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest after the parents called 119, but ultimately passed away. During the external examination following the death confirmation, police noticed bruises on the baby's face and suspected child abuse by the parents. However, the parents denied the child abuse allegations.

A police official stated, "When questioned about the possibility of child abuse, the parents claimed that the newborn moved on its own and rolled off the bed," adding, "However, babies of that age cannot move independently, and there were signs such as bruises that suggested abuse, so the investigation was shifted to child abuse charges."

During continued police questioning, the parents partially admitted to the charges, stating, "While feeding the baby formula, the baby vomited, and we slapped the baby’s hand." However, they claimed, "It was not to the extent that would cause death," and further investigation into the severity of the abuse is ongoing.

The parents were also confirmed to have been investigated by the police last January on charges of abusing their one-year-old child. They were arrested on suspicion of repeatedly assaulting the face of their one-year-old child, and the charges were acknowledged during the investigation, leading to prosecution.

Meanwhile, it was reported that both parents were unemployed and experiencing financial difficulties. A police official said, "Before the baby’s death, they applied for childcare and birth-related allowances and seemed to have been connected to agencies that could provide support due to their financial hardship."

The police have applied for an arrest warrant for the couple and requested an autopsy from the National Forensic Service to determine the exact cause of the baby’s death. Additionally, the police plan to investigate when the child abuse of the deceased baby began.

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