Couple Whose 2-Week-Old Baby Died Tried to Cover Up by Searching for 'How to Remove Bruises'

Pretending to Perform CPR on a Deceased Baby to Request Help

On the morning of the 12th, parents who fatally beat their two-week-old son were being transported in a police van at Deokjin Police Station in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] A couple who assaulted their two-week-old baby to death attempted to cover up the crime by searching for 'how to remove bruises' after beating the child, according to police investigation results.

On the 17th, the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency stated that they analyzed the mobile phones of the parents, A (24, male) and B (22, female), who were arrested on charges of murder and severe child abuse and assault, using digital forensic techniques.

The couple searched on their phones around 3 p.m. on the 9th, eight hours before calling 119 emergency services, for 'how to quickly remove bruises' and 'child water torture case in Yongin, Gyeonggi.'

At the time of the search, the baby was severely injured to the extent that he could not drink formula, vomited, and could not properly open one eye, according to the investigation.

Even after the paramedics arrived, the couple repeatedly gave false performances and statements. When the paramedics arrived at the scene, A was reportedly pretending to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the baby who had already lost breathing and pulse.

When asked by the police about the cause of the baby's death, the couple denied the charges, saying, "The baby fell from the bed while sleeping and got a facial injury."

Later, when the police found bruises in several places on the baby's body and pressed them, they belatedly admitted to the crime, saying, "The baby cried, drank formula, vomited, so we hit him."

It was also revealed that the couple abused their first daughter, the deceased baby's older sister. In particular, A was tried for assaulting his then two-month-old daughter on February 8 last year. In that trial, A was acquitted in July last year due to 'insufficient evidence.'

Meanwhile, the police initially investigated them only on charges of child abuse resulting in death, but considering the severity and method of the assault, they judged the crime to be intentional and plan to apply murder charges, sending the case to the prosecution on the 18th.

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