30s Given Probation for Leaving 2-Year-Old Child in Room Full of Trash

Daegu Court. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jumi Lee] A man in his 30s who abandoned a 2-year-old child in a room filled with food waste and garbage has been sentenced to a suspended prison term.

The Daegu District Court, 1st Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Ho-cheol Lee), announced on the 25th that A (32), who was indicted for violating the Child Welfare Act (child abandonment and neglect), was sentenced to 6 months in prison with a 2-year suspension. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours of child abuse treatment lectures.

The court stated the reason for sentencing, saying, "Although the defendant's wrongdoing is not minor, the trial was conducted by public notice delivery due to the defendant's unknown whereabouts, and the sentence was determined by considering the motive and consequences of the crime."

A was prosecuted for leaving B (2), who lived together with him, alone in a room filled with leftover food and various garbage at a villa in Buksan-eup, Chilgok-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, at around 4:40 p.m. on January 2, 2019, and disappearing, thereby neglecting the child.

B was left unattended for about three hours and was rescued at around 7:40 p.m. that day by police officers and firefighters who responded following a report from the Gyeongbuk Western Child Protection Agency staff.

Since A's whereabouts were unknown, the court served the defendant's summons by public notice and proceeded with the sentencing trial in his absence.

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