Court Sentences Older Sister to 20 Years in 'Gumi 3-Year-Old Girl Death' Case... Electronic Monitoring Device Request Denied

Kim Mo-si, who was revealed to be the older sister, not the biological mother, of the deceased 3-year-old girl in Gumi, is entering the Daegu District Court Gimcheon Branch on April 9.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] A heavy sentence was handed down to the older sister who left her 3-year-old younger sister unattended in an empty villa in Gumi, Gyeongbuk, causing the child's death.

The Criminal Division of the Gimcheon Branch of Daegu District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Yun-ho) on the 4th recognized most of the charges against Kim Mo (22), who lived as the deceased child's mother but was identified as the older sister through DNA testing, including murder and violation of the Child Welfare Act, and sentenced her to 20 years in prison.

The court stated, "The defendant abandoned the victim under her care or neglected protection and nurturing, including food, clothing, and shelter, leading to death," adding, "It is unimaginable how much hunger and fear the victim, who was alone, must have felt."

The court also ordered Kim to complete 160 hours of child abuse treatment programs and imposed a 10-year employment restriction in child-related institutions. However, the court dismissed the prosecution's request for an electronic monitoring bracelet, stating, "There is no prior criminal record for murder, and considering the circumstances of the crime, it appears the defendant did not actively intend the victim's death."

Kim is accused of leaving the child unattended in an empty house after moving in early August last year, resulting in the child's death around mid-August. Kim, who was arrested and indicted in February, admitted to most of the charges in court.

Earlier, at the sentencing hearing held on the 7th of last month, the prosecution demanded a 25-year prison sentence for Kim, along with a 10-year employment restriction in child-related institutions and a 20-year electronic monitoring bracelet order.

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