Stepmother Who Habitually Abused and Killed 13-Year-Old Stepdaughter... First Application of the 'Jeong In Act'

Stepmother Kills Stepdaughter by Kicking, Tripping, and Stomping on Abdomen Multiple Times
Conflict with Husband over Separation Worsens, Drinks Every Other Day and Abuses Child
First Case Applying 'Jeongin Act' Amendment Since February

A (40, female), who assaulted her teenage daughter causing her death, is leaving Jinju Police Station where she was detained to undergo a pre-arrest detention hearing on the 25th of last month. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Yeeun] A stepmother who habitually abused her middle school-aged stepdaughter and repeatedly stomped on her abdomen, ultimately causing her death, has been sent to the prosecution on charges of 'child abuse homicide' (commonly known as the Jeong In Act).

This is the first case to apply the revised 'Jeong In Act,' which was amended last February to impose the death penalty, life imprisonment, or imprisonment of seven years or more for cases of child abuse resulting in death.

The Criminal Division 2 of the Jinju Branch of the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office in Gyeongnam (Chief Prosecutor Jang Junho) announced on the 20th that on the 22nd of last month, A (40), who killed her stepdaughter B (13) in an apartment in Namhae County, was arrested and indicted on charges of violating the Child Abuse Punishment Act (child abuse homicide).

A is accused of kicking and knocking down B for about two hours from 9:30 p.m. on June 22 in the kitchen and living room of the house, repeatedly stomping on her abdomen, causing her death. During this process, B also fell and hit the edge of the bathroom toilet.

According to police investigations, on the day of the incident, A became enraged and hit B after submitting divorce papers with her estranged husband in the morning and planning to discuss child custody issues, but the husband did not answer his phone.

As a result, B was unable to breathe properly and her body went limp, but A did not take appropriate measures such as calling 119. However, she did contact her estranged husband, and when he arrived after 2 a.m. on the 23rd, B was already deceased with a stiffened body.

The 119 call was made around 4:14 a.m., about two hours after the husband arrived.

Police investigations revealed that A had continuously abused B since 2018, including hitting her head with toys to the point of causing lacerations.

Since March, as conflicts with her husband escalated due to their separation, A bought alcohol every other day and frequently assaulted the child. It was also confirmed that she abused B's sibling once.

School friends testified, "B often complained of stomach pain and looked pale." They added, "She left school early 3 to 4 times due to stomach pain and sometimes lay down during class." However, they did not notice the habitual abuse.

The police stated, "A was fully aware of B's deteriorating condition but still focused on hitting her abdomen for a long time on the day of the incident, and despite seeing B's poor condition, did not immediately call 119." They added, "It is highly likely that A could have foreseen that her actions might lead to the death of her daughter," and thus changed the charge from child abuse resulting in death to child abuse homicide before sending the case to the prosecution.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the current Supreme Court sentencing guidelines, the basic sentence for murder is 10 to 16 years, and with aggravating factors, a heavy sentence of life imprisonment or more can be imposed.

However, the basic sentence for child abuse resulting in death is set at 4 to 7 years. When aggravating factors such as repeated offenses, severe abuse, or malicious motives are present, the sentencing range can be increased to 6 to 10 years in prison.

Therefore, even if a child dies, the perpetrator may receive a relatively light sentence when charged with child abuse resulting in death.

In contrast, the child abuse homicide charge imposes the death penalty, life imprisonment, or imprisonment of seven years or more, strengthening the punishment compared to child abuse resulting in death. It is a heavier penalty than the general murder charge under criminal law (which carries a sentence of five years or more).

The prosecution stated, "We will do our best to maintain the prosecution so that A receives a punishment commensurate with her crime," adding, "We will provide psychological treatment support for the surviving children and bereaved families, financial support for funeral expenses, and continue cooperation to prevent the recurrence of child abuse."

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