Couple on Probation for Dropping 3-Month-Old Son During Argument and Leaving Him Unattended for 10 Hours

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] A couple in their 30s who dropped their 3-month-old son on the floor during a marital dispute, causing a head injury, and then neglected him for over 10 hours, was sentenced to a suspended prison term. The son ultimately died from brain damage.

Judge Jeong Chan-woo of the Criminal Division 1 at Bucheon Branch of Incheon District Court sentenced A (38, male) and B (33, female), who were indicted without detention on charges of negligent homicide and violation of the Child Welfare Act (child abandonment and neglect), to 1 year and 6 months in prison with a 3-year suspension. They were also ordered to attend 40 hours of child abuse recidivism prevention lectures.

The court stated, "The defendants dropped the victim during a marital quarrel and left him untreated, resulting in brain damage and death. Considering the serious outcome including the victim's death, the nature of the crime is grave."

However, the court explained the sentencing by saying, "The defendants confessed to the crime, showed remorse, and there was no evidence of malicious or intentional abuse."

Earlier, the prosecution had requested a 5-year prison sentence for each of the couple during the sentencing hearing held on the 12th of last month.

The couple, A and B, are accused of dropping their 3-month-old son, C, on the floor at their home in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, around 11 p.m. on May 27 last year, causing a head injury, and neglecting to take him to the hospital for 10 hours, which led to his death.

It was investigated that during an argument, B pushed A's arm away, causing C, who was being held in A's arms, to fall to the floor.

However, it was found that they did not take C, who had suffered a severe head injury, to the hospital. C eventually died from brain damage about 40 days after the incident, in July of last year.

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